


Third Beginning

by HinataOC



Series: Hinata's Journey: Trilogy [2]
Category: Disney - All Media Types, Kingdom Hearts, Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Disney, F/M, Game: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Pre-Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-24 18:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 44
Words: 430,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14360796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HinataOC/pseuds/HinataOC
Summary: A Kingdom Hearts Fan-Fiction, sequel to "True Friends". Hinata is now on her own, forced to forge her own path if she ever hopes to reunite with those she loves.





	1. Awakening

**** This is a sequel to a previous story 'True Friends' I highly recommend reading that story first before heading to 'Third Beginning'; but if you would rather be a rebel that's fine too.****

Summary: The last we saw Hinata, she had an intense encounter with Riku as he was beginning to be taken over by Xehanort's Heartless. During the encounter she was nearly choked to death but Riku was able to momentarily overpower Xehanort and bring Hinata safely to her gummi ship before heading back to Hollow Bastion.

Third Beginning

Chapter 1

The sweet aroma of the flowers in the garden wafted through the air as two sisters walked through the stone pathways between the flower beds. They giggled together as their red hair floated in the cool breeze that brushed past them.

The smaller girl hooked her arm through a brown woven basket as she skipped towards a bed of yellow and purple daisies. She plucked a single yellow flower and held it up proudly. "Look at this one Hinata! Isn't it pretty?"

Her older sister, Hinata, walked up beside her and knelt down. Her golden eyes were beaming as she looked at the flower in her sister's hand. "It's perfect Kairi." She told her with a smile. "You should wear it in your hair."

Kairi shook her head, "Nu-uh! This one is for mommy!"

Hinata laughed, "Oh alright, fine. Mom can have this one. What about Grandma?"

Placing the yellow flower in her basket, Kairi gazed around the garden and pulled on the sides of her white dress. Widening her eyes she pointed towards a rose bush and exclaimed, "What about those?"

Looking where her sister was pointing, Hinata shook her head and informed her, "No, those are roses. They have thorns."

"What's a thorn?" Kairi asked, skipping over to the roses anyways.

Hinata shook her head as she followed her younger sister. "Thorns are little spikes that will hurt if you touch them."

Kairi approached the bush and lifted her hand in the air proclaiming, "Thorns won't hurt me!" Before Hinata could stop her, she wrapped her hand tightly around the stem of a rose. "Ouch!" She cried out as she swiftly retracted her hand only to be greeted with tiny beads of blood forming on her palm.

She looked over at Hinata with water welling up in her eyes as Hinata shrugged; "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Hey Hinata," A voice caught the girls' attention. As they turned towards the voice they saw two boys approaching them. A young boy with spikey red hair reached them first with a large smirk, "Isa and I were wondering if you wanted to spar with us."

"More like you were wondering, Lea." Isa noted as he approached, fiddling with a long wooden weapon strapped to his back.

Lea waved him off, "Yeah, yeah, but really. Do you want to?"

Hinata smiled at her friends before shaking her head, "Sorry guys, I'm watching my little sister this afternoon." She pointed behind her and looked back but Kairi was nowhere to be found. Groaning, Hinata said, "Oh no, not again." She spun around as she scanned the garden looking for any sign of her sister. All she could see was the basket left on the ground in front of the roses. Turning back towards Lea and Isa she asked, "Can you guys help me find her?"

"Sure thing!" Lea grinned as he gave her a thumbs-up, while Isa sighed deeply behind him.

"Thanks, she couldn't have gotten too far." Hinata noted as she turned back around to the garden.

She took a step forward when a strange dark blue creature appeared right in front of them. It twitched on its four pointed legs as it glared at the group with two red eyes.

"What is that thing?" Hinata exclaimed as she jumped back.

Lea reached into his orange vest and pulled out two bright frisbees with flame insignias on the top. He placed his fingers in the inner rims of both of them and spun them in anticipation. "I don't know what that is," He admitted, "But it doesn't look friendly."

Isa spun around and saw another blue creature appear behind them. Reaching behind him he grabbed his wooden claymore and brought it out in front of him. "There is another one over here." He told them matter-of-factly.

Hinata clenched her hands into fists and readied herself for a fist fight. "Um, I don't suppose either of you brought along my blades?" She asked, staring at the creatures that were rapidly surrounding them.

Placing both frisbees in one hand, Lea reached into one of his pockets and pulled out two wooden blades. Tossing them to Hinata he said, "Yeah, I brought them in case you were going to spar."

"How did you fit those in your pocket?" Hinata asked as he tossed them to her.

Lea shrugged and noted, "They're deep pockets!"

Catching her swords with ease, Hinata readied her blades behind her back and once she noticed her friends were in position she looked toward the multitude of creatures in front of her. "So now we wait." She commented under her breath.

Lea chuckled and spun the Frisbees in his hands before saying, "Who's waiting? I'll do the honors!"

Without notice he lunged forward towards the enemies. Spinning around he hit a creature across the face while throwing the other weapon into the throat of another. Both of the creatures disintegrated upon impact but were replaced by a forming hoard of new creatures.

Hinata shrugged as she saw Lea attack and followed suit. Spinning the blades in her hands she took a step forward before stabbing her weapons in front of her into the chests of two creatures. They disintegrated around her swords as she continued her attack. Isa held his claymore with both his hands as he bashed the heavy weapon on top of three creatures in front of him, causing them to splat onto the ground before disappearing like dust in the wind. The three of them continued to fight the hoard until eventually they were pushed back to back.

"How many of these things are there?" Hinata asked breathlessly.

Lea scoffed as he placed both Frisbees in one hand and reached into another pocket, pulling out a lighter. "You guys want to see something cool?"

"Right now?" Isa asked annoyed.

Hinata peeked over her shoulder and caught sight of Lea's lighter. She started to open her mouth to object but then shrugged and warned him, "Just don't set the garden on fire you pyro."

Flicking his lighter into a flame, Lea placed it against the cloth skin of the frisbee, setting it ablaze. His emerald eyes lit up as fire quickly engulfed the liner. Looking up at the creatures he noticed that they were beginning to back up at the sight of the flame. Placing the frisbees together, Lea caught them both aflame before smirking at the group of creatures and calling out, "Burn baby!" As the words left his mouth he spun around with his arms outstretched and disintegrated the front line of enemies. Turning back towards them he clapped his burning weapons together in front of him before rotating his wrists to hurl them towards the largest group of foes before jumping back. The burning discs quickly ignited the creatures' skin upon impact causing them to scatter. As the area began to clear out, Isa reached into a pocket of his white pants and tossed Lea a water bottle. Lea caught the bottle and ran towards his weapons, pouring the water on top and causing a cloud of smoke to bellow into the air. Placing his arm over his mouth and nose, Lea began coughing as smoke made its way into his lungs.

The smoke cleared up and the flames died out, revealing that all of the creatures had scurried away. Lea grinned over at his friends and beamed, "See, I told you that was cool!"

Hinata scoffed as she put her swords away. "Well at least you didn't set the garden on fire." She paused for a moment before chuckling, "Did you say 'burn baby'?"

Lea shrugged and began to laugh along with Hinata, saying "That's my new catchphrase! Got it memorized?" Hinata rolled her eyes as Lea tapped his head with one of his fingers when Isa interrupted their banter.

"What were those things?" he asked as he placed his wooden claymore behind his back.

Widening her eyes, Hinata spun in place to scan the area. "I don't know, but we better find Kairi before they do." She pointed out.

Isa and Lea nodded as Hinata quickly made her way towards a set of stone stairs that led up to a second level of the garden. As she reached the top she was met with an array of buildings leading into the main town. The small blue creatures were spotted roaming throughout the town; however after the fire they were avoiding the three friends. Turning around, Hinata looked up at the large towering castle on the other side of the garden. A large set of stairs led up to the castle courtyard and in the center of the area, Hinata could make out the familiar dark red hair of her sister.

Pointing up she told her friends, "She's up there!"

Lea groaned as he came up beside her and saw where she was pointing, "Sheesh! She just had to run someplace that requires us to climb a ton of stairs! Not like we just fought a bunch of creatures."

"Stop your complaining." Isa lightly hit Lea on the back of the head, "At least she's safe."

"Come on you guys!" Hinata bolted towards the set of stairs as Lea and Isa trailed behind her.

Running up the stairs, Hinata gasped when she heard Kairi let out a scream. She stopped momentarily and widened her eyes before pushing herself to run faster. Suddenly a woman with bright blue hair ran past them with Kairi in her arms. The three of them stopped in their tracks and stared after the woman as she reached the bottom the stairs; placing Kairi on the ground and patting her on the head before stretching out her arm. Hinata cocked her head to the side in confusion as she took a couple steps down the stairs. There was a bright flash of light and a weapon appeared in the woman's hand; a long thin blade arching into a spiked crescent at the tip.

"What in the world?" Lea commented under his breath.

As the weapon appeared, the woman left Kairi and ran back up the stairs, paying no mind to the three teens that stared after her. They watched her go out of view before Hinata shook her head and began running down towards Kairi.

Reaching her, Hinata knelt down and hugged her tightly, "Oh Aiko, what were you thinking running off like that? Are you alright?"

Kairi nodded, "Yeah I'm fine! That nice lady saved me from those blue things!"

Hinata pulled back and smiled in relief at her sister, asking "Do you know who she is?"

Shaking her head, Kairi told her, "Nope! But I want to pick her some flowers."

With a sigh, Hinata fell back into a seated position. "You don't quit. A near death experience and you're acting like nothing happened!"

Kairi giggled as she turned around and skipped into the garden to pick some flowers. Hinata shook her head and looked behind her at her friends; Lea had a grin on his face with his hands placed on his hips, while Isa was looking towards the stairway the woman went up with his arms crossed.

"Well, thanks for the help." Hinata told them before looking up the stairs and musing. "I wonder if Even would know what those creatures were."

"If he doesn't, I bet your dad would know." Isa reluctantly looked away from the stairway and walked up beside Hinata.

"We should go ask!" Lea offered as he ran up to them.

"We aren't allowed into the castle, you know that." Isa pointed out.

"Maybe…" Lea admitted as he placed his hand to his chin and then whispered, "But we could always sneak in and find out for ourselves."

"What makes you think that we would find out just by sneaking in?" Isa scoffed, though with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Think about it," Lea began to explain excitedly, "The castle is the only place around here that's in lockdown. And if it weren't for Hinata's dad, we wouldn't know anything about it at all. With those strange creatures and that lady with the magic weapon appearing out of nowhere, the castle seems like the only place that could have an explanation."

Isa listened intently to Lea's words and when he finished he thought about it for a moment before resigning, "Alright, let's do it."

Hinata laughed, "Seriously? You're going to try to sneak into the castle?"

"What you're not coming along?" Lea pouted, sitting beside Hinata.

"No way," Hinata shook her head, "For one, my dad's there, so just imagine how much trouble I would get into if he found out I tried sneaking in. And second, I need to keep an eye on Kairi." Then she looked over at Lea and asked, "Why don't I just ask my dad when I see him again?"

"Because sneaking in would be so much more fun!" Lea pointed out, getting an eye roll from Hinata.

Hinata looked up at Isa and asked, "And you're going along with him?"

Isa shrugged, "I want to know what's in there. And I'm curious about those creatures."

"Well alright you two," Hinata looked back towards the garden, "But if you get caught, I'm not bailing you out."

"We'll be fine!" Lea assured her getting up and brushing off any dust from his back from sitting on the ground.

Isa and Lea waved at Hinata as they began to walk away. Hinata laughed under her breath as she stood from her spot and walked towards Kairi in the garden. The creatures were still avoiding the garden after the encounter so the area was thankfully still safe. The cool breeze swept past causing Hinata to shiver, her wooden swords rattling together as she shook. She rubbed her free hand over her bare arms for warmth. Coming up beside Kairi, she placed her dao swords on the ground and sat on the stone path beside her.

"Which flower do you think she would like better?" Kairi asked holding a yellow and blue flower in front of her.

Hinata shrugged, "Why not both?"

"Good idea!" Kairi giggled as she grasped her tiny hand around the stems. "I'm going to go give them to her!"

"Wait for me." Hinata told her as she got up from her spot but Kairi was already running away. She groaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she was about to run after her.

"Hinata, where is Kairi?" Hinata turned around after hearing an older voice call out to her, and saw her Grandmother. She was much shorter than Hinata, with a hunched back and gray hair wrapped in a bun.

"Hi Grandma," Hinata strained a smile and greeted. "Kairi just ran off to go to the castle courtyard. She wanted to give someone some flowers."

"And you just let her go?" Her Grandmother asked exasperated as she walked by. "You're supposed to be keeping an eye on her."

"I am." Hinata defended taking a deep breath to stay calm. "I was just about to go after her when you called out to me."

Her Grandmother momentarily stopped walking and without looking back at her she noted, "If you were looking after her properly she wouldn't have run off in the first place." When Hinata didn't respond she looked over her shoulder at her. "Am I wrong?"

Hinata bent down and grabbed her wooden swords as she responded. "You're right Grandma. I should have been more careful. I'll go get her right now."

"No, don't bother. I'm headed up that way anyways." Grandma told her as she glanced down at the weapon in Hinata's hands. "And you really should stop playing with those… things. It's not ladylike."

"They came in handy earlier." Hinata retorted and laughed softly.

"Regardless, I don't know why your father allows you to use them. He encourages you, even!" She sighed and shook her head before turning away to walk towards the stairway after Kairi.

Hinata strained a smile as her Grandmother walked away; rolling her eyes once she was out of sight. She looked down at the weapons in her hands and mumbled, "I wish she would back off." Turning around she looked at her surroundings, trying to catch sight of any more creatures. Readying her blades she began to walk out of the garden saying, "Might as well make sure there aren't any more of those creatures around town."

She walked through the streets of town looking for any sign of the creatures but none could be found. As she approached a small item shop she stopped walking to catch her breath. "It's like they just disappeared…" She muttered as she scanned the area.

"What disappeared dear?" An older duck wearing a top hat and waddling with a cane asked her.

Hinata smiled at the duck as he approached, putting her swords away. "Hello Mr. Scrooge. It's these weird blue creatures that attacked me and my friends earlier. I saw them all over town not too long ago but now there just gone!"

"Oh yes, I saw those creatures." Scrooge told her, tapping his cane on the stone ground. "A young lad with rather spikey hair saved me from a rather monstrous one with a strange weapon. If I had to guess, I'd say he wasn't from this world."

Cocking her head to the side, Hinata knelt down to Scrooge's level and asked, "Another world? Is that even possible?"

Scrooge placed a feathered hand on his chest as he laughed. "My dear, there are many things that are quite possible. I suppose you wouldn't even believe that I am not from this world myself. Have you ever questioned why I am the only duck resident in this town?"

Hinata widened her eyes from the news before laughing under her breath. "I guess I never really thought about it." She stood up and crossed her arms before getting back to the subject, "Okay, wait, so a young man saved you from the creatures? Then what happened?"

"I gave him some tickets to my home world!" Scrooge told her proudly.

"Why am I just now finding out that you're from another world?" Hinata asked, "I've known you my whole life!" She closed her eyes and waved her hands in front of her, "I mean, never mind that. I saw a woman that didn't seem to be from around here. I wonder if they have something to do with the creatures." She crossed her arms as she looked up and saw the castle of the town towering in the distance. "I think it's time I paid my dad a visit." Looking down at Scrooge she smiled and told him, "Thanks for the help, I have to go."

As she ran past him, Scrooge called out, "You're quite welcome my dear! Come back when you're free and we can talk more!"

Hinata turned around momentarily and waved before turning back to head towards the castle. She exited the town and began heading up a tall brick staircase until she reached a courtyard that led to two blue double doors that were guarded by two men. Hinata smiled as she reached the area and walked towards the men that seemed to be bored at their post. On the left of the door stood a tall man with long black dreadlocks pinned up in a ponytail while on the right stood a muscular man with red hair slicked back with the ends spiked behind his head. They nodded in acknowledgment to Hinata as she approached them.

"Lady Hinata, what brings you here today?" The red headed man asked in a monotone voice.

"Hi Aeleus, I was wondering if my dad was here?" Hinata greeted.

"We just saw him." Aeleus told her, motioning his head towards the other guard. "He wanted to speak with me and Dilan."

"But I'm afraid he isn't available for… family visits today." Dilan spoke up with a thick accent, giving Hinata a slight glare.

Hinata crossed her arms and stared back at Dilan before replying, "What did he want to talk to you about?"

"Just because you are family relation does not give you special privileges." Dilan told her, swiftly becoming exasperated.

Sighing, Hinata resigned, "Fair enough, I was just wondering if he or anyone of you guys knew anything about those creatures that were appearing around town."

"We're not sure what they are." Aeleus spoke up shaking his head. "After we came back from speaking with your father they all seemed to disappear."

Hinata pointed to Aeleus and nodded, "You noticed it too! I saw a woman that didn't seem to be from around here either. And Mr. Scrooge mentioned that he saw a young boy that seemed out of place too."

Dilan and Aeleus exchanged glances as Hinata spoke.

"Did you guys see them too?" Hinata asked, sensing their apprehension.

Before they could respond, the blue doors swung open as a slender man with slicked black hair hurriedly walked out of the castle, holding two silver arrow guns in his white gloved hands. Hinata quickly moved out of his way as he rushed passed her.

"Hey Braig!" Hinata called after him.

The man momentarily stopped and looked behind him wearing a mischievous smirk. "Hey Princess, no time to talk; I'm on an urgent mission."

"Just a quick question," Hinata quickly spoke holding out her hand, "Have you seen anyone that doesn't seem to be from around here?"

Braig laughed before holding up one of his arrow guns and informing her, "Sure have; on my way to meet with one right now!" Noticing a look from Dilan he shrugged, "For non-violent reasons of course." Looking at Hinata he nodded, "You be a good girl now!" With that he turned around and quickened his pace.

As he left Hinata stared after him before looking back at the two men in front of her and asked "So there are off-world visitors here? Is that why those creatures were here?"

Dilan closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose before groaning, "Don't you have anything better to do than interrogating us? Where are those annoying friends of yours?"

Hinata rubbed the back of her neck and uncomfortably chuckled, "Oh um… I haven't seen them today." Her cheeks turning red as she spoke.

At Hinata's response he gave her a confused look and then glanced over at Aeleus before motioning his head towards the castle. Without saying anything, Aeleus nodded and walked into the building as another man wearing a white lab coat with pale blonde hair falling on his shoulders walked outside into the courtyard.

The blonde man raised an eyebrow as he saw Hinata and gave her an unsettling smile. "Oh Hinata, do what do we owe this pleasure?"

Dilan groaned as Hinata began to explain her inquiries once again and turned towards the doors of the castle to close them as they were still left open from Braig's previous exit. He looked into the entryway and caught sight of Aeleus walking towards him dragging two boys behind him.

"Hey we were just looking around! We weren't going to take anything!" Lea tried to defend as he tried to escape Aeleus's grasp, while Isa being dragged beside him simply crossed his arms and sighed in exasperation.

Dilan stood out of the way as Aeleus tossed the boys through the open doors that led onto the stone courtyard.

"I've told both of you multiple times now," Aeleus scolded them, "The castle is off limits to civilians! Stop trying to sneak in before I have to take real action!"

Lea scrambled to his feet and sheepishly smiled, "Alright, alright, we won't do it again. Promise!"

Isa stood up beside Lea as his cheeks were flushed. He crossed his arms and nodded, "Yeah, we won't do it again."

Dilan smiled up at Hinata and sarcastically remarked, "Well it seems we found your friends for you."

Both Lea and Isa's eyes widened as they both shot glares at her. "Did your terrible lying skills give away our position?" Lea exclaimed.

Hinata was about to respond when the blonde scientist she had been speaking to broke in. "Not that it hasn't been lovely visiting with all of you, but we really must be getting back to work."

"But you never answered my questions Even." Hinata protested, "Do you know anything?"

"Nothing that I could tell you without violating protocol." Even told her, shaking his head, "Now you three stroll off, there is much for us to attend to."

Hinata sighed in defeat before nodding her head towards Lea and Isa. They walked up beside her as she told the men, "Alright, sorry to bother you guys. See you later."

The three men nodded at her as she turned around and began to walk away with Lea and Isa in tow. Once they were out of earshot Hinata muttered, "Well that was a complete waste of time."

"It might have gone better if you didn't rat us out." Isa bit in a frustrated tone causing Hinata to glare at him.

"Even!" Braig's voice yelled out causing the three teens to jump.

Following the sound of the voice, they saw Braig staggering up the stairs with one hand clasped around his eye as blood seeped through the once white fabric of his gloves. Even ran down the stairs towards Braig and as he reached him he rushed him back up to the castle.

Hinata ran over to help but was pushed aside by Even before she could do anything. "What happened?" She yelled after them as they left her and her friends behind.

"Terra!" Braig yelled out before he was led inside the castle and the front doors slammed behind him.

"Terra?" Hinata repeated under her breath before looking back at her friends worried, "This day just keeps getting more confusing… What or who in the world is Terra?"

They stared at each other in silence before Lea forced a smile and walked over to Hinata. "They'll take care of Braig so don't worry. Now that those creatures are gone we can finally fight!" When Hinata slightly smiled up at him he smirked and boasted, "Although, don't get your hopes up or anything! I've been practicing and I know today is the day I'll take you down."

Hinata scoffed as she lightly pushed Lea. "Yeah you wish…" She looked over at Isa, who avoided her gaze. She sighed before smiling back up at Lea. "I could take you on blindfolded and still win!"

Lea laughed and grasped at his heart as if he was wounded, "Ouch, you really think I'm that bad? I took care of that hoard of creatures earlier nearly singlehandedly!"

"Well yeah, because you brought fire into it," Isa pointed out, joining in on the conversation. He looked over at Hinata and gave her a small smile as she smiled back at him.

Placing his hands on his hips, Lea defended, "Either way, I got them away didn't I?"

The three friends laughed as they continued down the stairs until they reached the garden that led into the surrounding town. As they reached the bottom, Hinata crossed her arms and stopped walking, causing Isa and Lea to look back at her.

"I think I might actually go home, it's getting close to dinner time." Hinata told them as she looked up at the reddening sunset.

Lea sighed, a look of disappointment flashing across his face; "Alright fine. We'll spar another day." He was about to turn around to leave when he pointed his finger into the air, "Oh right! Isa and I met some new kid today."

Hinata cocked her head to the side, "Oh really? When?"

"It was on our way to sneak into the castle." Isa told her. "I wanted to drop off my claymore at home and on the way back to the castle we found a kid sulking."

"Yeah, he seemed like he was just having a bad day." Lea agreed. "He had this weird looking weapon he called a Keyblade and to cheer him up I challenged him to a fight!"

"A Keyblade?" Hinata repeated, "I've never even heard of that kind of weapon. What did he look like?"

Lea placed his hands on his hips, "What? You don't even want to know if I won the fight?"

Hinata shook her head, "You fight with frisbees Lea, it's not like you're very intimidating."

Looking at the sky, Lea closed his eyes and lamented, "Geez, where do I find such encouraging friends like you guys, huh?"

They chuckled before Hinata jumped back to her previous question, "So really, what did he look like? Did he have spikey hair?"

Isa and Lea looked at her confused. "Yeah, he did." Isa told her.

"He said his name was Ven." Lea continued.

Hinata placed her hand on her chin and whispered, "Ven huh? I wonder what's going on around here." Putting her hand down she looked back up at her friends and smiled, "Well, whatever's going on, I really should get going home. I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

Her friends smiled and waved as Hinata turned and made her way back home. Within a blink of an eye she arrived at her home, not even realizing she had taken a step. The stars were sprinkled throughout the suddenly darkened sky. Hinata looked up at them in confusion before reaching for the doorknob to enter her house.

"How did I get here so fast?" She muttered under her breath as she turned the doorknob.

As the door swung open, a warm sweet scent of ham wafted through the air in the beautiful home. The furnishings and style of the house were regal and classic in looks but Hinata paid no mind to the surroundings as she inhaled deeply and grinned.

"Hinata? Is that you, Sweetie?" A kind voice called from the marbled kitchen past the living room.

"Yeah Mom, I'm home!" Hinata called back as she swiftly took off her shoes and rushed to the kitchen. Walking into the room she saw her mom, her red curled hair pinned up and wearing a blue frilly apron around her waist. Hinata laughed as she spotted her mom stealing a bite of the freshly cooked ham, "I saw that!"

Her mom laughed in return as Hinata came up beside her and gave her a large hug. When the hug went on longer than usual, her mom gave Hinata a concerned look and asked, "Honey, is everything okay?"

Hinata hugged her mom slightly tighter before reluctantly pulling away and assuring her, "Yeah, sorry. I just really missed you I guess." She looked up and forced a smile.

"Well alright, if you say so," Her mom shrugged as she grabbed the platter of ham to carry it to the dining room. "But if you ever need to talk, you know I'm here."

"I know Mom, thanks." Hinata told her as she grabbed a small piece of ham, shoving it in her mouth before her mom could fully object.

Her mom chuckled as she carried the platter and then called behind her, "Can you get our little Aiko? She's up in Grandma's room; I think she's listening to one of Grandma's stories."

Hinata nodded, turning to head up a flight of stairs when suddenly she was at the dining table filled with plates of half-eaten food and surrounded by her family. Her eyes widened as she looked around and saw that her sister Kairi was walking around the table picking up empty plates to bring them to the kitchen.

"Did we just eat dinner?" She asked in disbelief, looking down at a messy plate in front of her.

Kairi stopped what she was doing and looked up at Hinata in confusion when her Grandmother, who was sitting across from her, spoke up. "Of course we did. You ate more than all of us!"

"I did?" Hinata asked as she looked up to see her mother standing in the doorway of the dining room with a worried look on her face.

"Hina, are you sure you're alright?" Her mom asked with her eyebrows knitted in concern.

Hinata gave the area a once over before shaking her head and smiling, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just tired… Is dad here tonight?"

Her mom solemnly shook her head, "No, he won't be home for a few days."

"Oh alright," Hinata slumped before asking, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"You can do the dishes for me!" Kairi batted her eyelashes at Hinata and giggled.

"Now, now, my little Akio, no trying to get out of your chores," Their mother scolded, "It's your day to wash dishes. Let's let Hinata get some rest."

Hinata laughed as she shakily brought herself to her feet, "No worries. I'll help her out a little bit." She smiled at Kairi, "At least keep her company."

Kairi smiled back at her and Hinata took one step forward, but as she did she suddenly found herself in the garden courtyard with the sun high in the sky. She yelped with surprise as she looked around.

"What is going on?" She yelled out towards the sky.

"Um… are you alright?" Isa asked her, causing Hinata to startle.

Hinata's breath became shallow as she whipped her head around and found Lea and Isa standing next to her. Isa looked at Hinata in bewilderment as Lea took a few careful steps towards her.

"How did I get here?" Hinata asked, rapidly looking around.

"It's alright Hinata," Lea tried to calm her and placed his arm around her shoulders. "Isa and I picked you up from your house this morning when we heard about the new apprentice."

"Don't you remember?" Isa asked.

"No…" Hinata admitted as her breathing began to regulate. "I know this sounds crazy, but I keep jumping from one thing to the next and I can't remember anything that happens in between."

"So this apprentice sounds really cool!" Lea burst out, suddenly on the other side of the garden rather than at Hinata's side like he had been seconds before.

Hinata knitted her eyebrows in confusion as she protested, "Hey wait, didn't you just hear what I said?"

"Yeah, he sounds awesome actually." Isa agreed with Lea, ignoring Hinata's words.

"No wait, seriously guys, what's going on?" Hinata pried.

"I heard that when Braig found him he had a full set of armor and his own weapon!" Lea continued excitedly, getting Isa abnormally excited as well.

Hinata flung her hands exasperated in front of her sighing, "You guys are just ignoring me aren't you?" The boys continued their conversation, completely disregarding Hinata's words as she crossed her arms and turned away from them to face the staircase that led to the castle above.

"Are you alright?" A deep male voice asked behind her.

Hinata groaned as she turned around and complained, "Would people just stop asking me that?"

Her eyes widened when she turned and saw a man standing in front of her. His piercing amber eyes looked at Hinata with an expression that was both kind and concerned. His white hair fell past his shoulders blending into the long white lab coat he wore, adding a sense of wisdom to his otherwise youthful face.

"Are you alright?" He repeated.

"Who… who are you?" Hinata stammered. "I feel like I know you."

"You mean you don't recognize me?" The man asked, his eyes flickering momentarily from kindness to anger.

"It's nothing personal; honestly, I'm just having an off day." Hinata sheepishly smiled as she rubbed her hands together in front of her. "Are you the new apprentice?"

"I was," The man shrugged, "But that was months ago."

"Months?" Hinata repeated, not noticing as the bright surroundings of the garden began to meld into darkness until all that surrounded them was pitch black.

The man placed his hands behind his back as he began to pace around Hinata. "I started out as a mere apprentice, unaware of my full potential; but then as I grew to understand who I was I became a sparring teacher as well as a scientist. My days were filled with various works and mentoring as I gained the trust of three young teens." He glanced over at Hinata, who was staring at him in confusion, before shaking his head, "You still don't remember…" Motioning his head upwards he noted, "Perhaps this will jog your memory."

Hinata spun around as the dark surroundings melded into a tan room, with large windows and racks filled with weapons lining the walls. In the center of the room stood Lea and Isa in white uniform; standing across from each other and laughing. Hinata smiled as she saw her friends and walked towards them; but as she tried to place her hand on Lea's shoulder to get his attention, she went straight through him as if he were a cloud.

Staring at her hand, Hinata asked, "How is this happening?"

"Just watch." The man told her.

The sound of a door opening caused Hinata to turn around, and she saw herself walk into the sparring room wearing her own white uniform with her long red hair tied in a bun. This other Hinata was followed by a double of her mysterious guide, wearing a black uniform rather than the bright white lab coat.

"There you are, Master!" Lea grinned. "We were beginning to wonder where you guys were."

"I had to finish up some experiments back at the castle." Their master informed them, "I apologize for my tardiness."

Hinata turned around from the scene playing out before her and stared back at the man who had brought her there. "So you became our sparring master?" When the man nodded, she looked back at the scene as the trio began performing different routines with wooden weapons. "I feel like I remember all of this… But how? It hasn't happened yet, right?" She looked back at the man in the lab coat.

"Has it not?" The man challenged with a smirk.

"Who are you?" Hinata asked as she crossed her arms.

"Why don't you tell me what you remember?" The man told her, motioning his head towards the sparring scene.

Hinata looked back at the scene and watched as the group in front of her was laughing and chatting while they practiced various sets. "I remember… I remember that sparring was like a dream come true for the three of us and that we really liked having you as our master. But then…"

"Then what?" The man pried, his voice deepening.

"The more you worked in the castle the more distant you became." Hinata continued as the scene in front of her began to change. The room darkened as their master harshly scolded them over tiny mistakes. "Then whenever we would ask why you changed you would just say that you were preparing us." She looked back at the man. "You were especially harsh to me, and whenever I would call you out you kept telling me that I was special. That I was gifted and that's why you were pushing me harder than the others."

"It was true." The man told her.

Hinata shook her head before continuing, "But it doesn't make sense… nothing ever happened. What were you preparing us for?"

"Something did happen." The man stalked up to Hinata, causing her to take a couple steps back. "But for some reason you have locked it away in your memory."

Backing away, Hinata's pace quickened as she asked "What was it? Why is this happening?" As the man began to walk towards her again she suddenly began to panic. "Where am I? Why is nothing making any sense?"

"What's my name?" The man asked as he walked towards her.

"I don't know!" Hinata yelled out honestly, "All I know is that I really don't feel safe right now! What is going on?"

"What is my name?" The man bellowed as the sparring room began melding back into the darkness from before.

Hinata clasped her hands around her ears as she fell to her knees and cried repeatedly, "I don't know! I don't know!"

A hand landed softly on Hinata's shoulder, and a soft familiar voice reached out to her. "Hinata, it's alright, I'm here."

Reluctantly, Hinata removed her hands from her ears before opening her eyes and looking up to see Riku, who was standing in front of her. Shaking, she slowly stood and looked around to find that she was in a dark hallway back in Hollow Bastion. Riku supported her as she stood and pulled her into a warm embrace.

"What's going on?" She cried into his shoulder.

"Everything's going to be alright." Riku told her softly as he rubbed his hand along her back.

She slightly pulled back to look at Riku's face and asked, "How did I get here?"

"Do you know my name?" Riku asked her as he placed his hand on her cheek.

Hinata knitted her eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean? Of course I do. It's…"

Before she could finish her sentence Riku moved his hand from her cheek down to her neck and gripped it tightly.

Coughing slightly from the reduced air, Hinata grasped at Riku's wrist and begged, "What are you doing?"

"You need to remember!" He yelled at her, his voice fused with the deep voice of the man she had been speaking with earlier.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" Hinata told him as his grasp once again tightened. "Riku please, I can't go through this again…" She begged with her eyes shut tight.

"You remember his name but you can't even remember your old master?" Riku scolded her.

Hinata's opened her eyes and glared at Riku, yelling "After I saw what you did to all those innocent people you really think I would still join your Organization?" As the words left her mouth her eyes widened. "I remember…" Riku scowled at her words and placed both his hands firmly around her neck.

"You were specially trained, you offered yourself willingly!" Riku yelled, "What is my name?"

Hinata's eyes were closing and her breaths were becoming few and far between. In a weak whisper she told him, "Xehanort."

Everything around her morphed into darkness as her final breath escaped her body and she was left alone, lying in nonexistent space. Everything was silent and still until a faint alarm began to slice through the unnerving stillness. It started out barely audible but slowly grew louder with each screech. A barking animal cut through the increasing noise of the alarm, shattering the darkness. Hinata slowly winced her eyes open as the sounds were swiftly becoming overbearing. She rapidly blinked and gasped as her ghost dog Jack yelped in front of her.

"I'm on the gummi ship?" She asked hoarsely, painfully attempting to clear her throat to no avail. Moving one of her hands to her throat she immediately retracted it and winced. "I must have been dreaming…" She whispered.

She looked around the gummi ship; things were strewn around the entire area. A red light was flashing from the cockpit and an alarm blared, causing Jack to keep his ears flat upon his head. He floated in front of Hinata tugging on her shirt in an attempt to get her up.

"What's happening?" She tried to ask him, but her voice was barely heard over the other sounds.

"Alert!" The intercom of the ship spoke to address Hinata's question, "Impact in approximately five minutes."

"What!" Hinata's voice broke as she screamed raspingly.

She pushed herself to stand. With every movement her muscles quivered from strain. Struggling to keep her balance, she rushed into the cockpit of the ship. Various lights were flashing across the control board as the ship's alarm alerted Hinata to their impending doom. She looked out the windshield only to see a large planet becoming larger and closer by the second. Frantically, she began pressing random buttons on the console in an attempt to gain some control.

"Why are we crashing?" Hinata choked out to the computer.

"Alert, this world's border has regained integrity. Gummi flight is no longer possible." The intercom of the ship informed her.

"What does that even mean?" Hinata panicked, "Can you give me control of the ship so I can at least try to land it?"

"Navigation is off line." The ship's computer told her.

"Is there anything I can do?" Hinata threw her hands in the air as she stared wide eyed out the windshield.

"Alert! Impact in approximately four minutes." The intercom repeated.

"Apparently not," she mumbled, turning around and rushing into the next room, "Jack! We need to get off the ship!"

As she passed through the door leading into the living area the ship rocked violently, causing her to lose her footing. The turbulence caused the door to the cockpit to slam shut, catching Hinata's hair inside. Her head jerked back from the force and she let out a pained yell. Slamming her hand on a gray button she attempted to open the door but it didn't budge.

"Computer!" She yelled as loud as her hoarse voice would allow. "Open the door!"

"Unable to comply; the door is jammed." The computer told her before saying, "Alert, impact in approximately three minutes."

Hinata placed her hands against the closed door as she tried desperately to wriggle her hair free with no success. She looked around in panic and cried, "Where are my blades?" When she couldn't find them she called out, "Jack come here!"

Jack barked as he instantly floated to be in front of Hinata's face.

"Jack, you have to find something sharp; something that I can use to get myself free." She told him hurriedly.

He barked in response as he began searching the ship. While he searched, Hinata caught a glimpse of the planet she was crashing into through a nearby window. Towering strange plants began brushing past the sides of the ship causing it to rock back and forth. Ripping her eyes away from the chaos outside, Hinata caught sight of her hook shot gauntlets lying on the table. Reaching out her arm she struggled to pull them towards her, and once they were within her grasp she hurriedly put them on her shaking hands. She glanced back at the other gifts she had received on her travels and tightly closed her eyes, forcing herself to look away.

"Alert! Impact in approximately two minutes." The intercom spoke over the whirring alarms.

"Jack!" Hinata cried out, tears beginning to appear on the corners of her eyes.

Within seconds, Jack reappeared holding a triangular shaped metal shard in his mouth. Hinata held out her hand as Jack dropped it in her palm.

"Good boy," She spoke quickly as she placed the metal piece at the edge of her hair. She paused for a moment before taking a deep breath and cutting it off.

Immediately she was set free and she stood back up straight, staring for a moment at the unattached hair jammed in the door. She threw the metal to the ground, looking out the window as the ship crashed through the tree line. Holding her hands in front of her, she gave the gauntlet a quick once over before turning around and rushing to the ship's outside door. Clenching her hand into a fist, she pointed her gauntlet towards the rectangular window on the door and got ready to release the hook shot. Closing her eyes and looking away she fired and the hooked chain shot straight into the glass, immediately shattering it. With a sigh of relief, she retracted the wire as strong winds began storming their way into the gummi ship.

"Alert! Impact in approximately one minute." The intercom was barely heard over the alarms and the whistling wind.

"Jack, can you go through the window and somehow open the door?" She looked over at her ghost dog, who was floating beside her with his ears flat upon his bony head. When he only whimpered in response, Hinata frowned, "Then I don't know if we'll make it off."

As the words left her mouth some sort of tough plant hooked through the window; ripping it off of the ship. Intense winds burst into the gummi ship causing Hinata to wrap her arms in front of her face as a shield before rushing to the open doorway.

"Jack come on!" She yelled as she held onto the edge of the doorframe. Looking out at the unknown world below, Hinata gulped and whispered, "I can do this…"

Noticing Jack was at her side, Hinata jumped out of the ship and once she was clear of the crashing vessel she pointed her gauntlet towards the top of a strange plant and fired her hook shot towards it. It shot out immediately, striking the stem of a towering plant and jerking Hinata from her free fall. She let out a hoarse scream as she went barreling towards it, slamming hard into the solid stem of the plant. Her neck whipped back from the impact as Jack flew up beside her whimpering.

Hinata looked at Jack through half-opened eyes and mumbled, "We made it."

She dazedly scanned the area. The long slender plant she found herself stuck to was hundreds of feet off the ground. Its stem winded upwards before mushrooming at the very top. They were in a canopy of the tall mushroom like plants and the ground was covered with various mosses and fungi. A moldy smell wafted through the air as Hinata let out a long breath.

She tiredly looked over at Jack and whispered, "Where are we, Jack?" As the words left her mouth her eyes rolled back into her head and she lost consciousness.


	2. Dreams of the Past

Chapter 2

Hinata's eyes winced open to see Jack floating in front of her with his ears flat against his head. She forced a small smile, causing him to lightly wag his bony tail. Moving her stiff neck, Hinata attempted to get a good look at their surroundings. Streaks of sunlight broke through the mushroom-like trees above, illuminating the green planet below. The moldy scent of the world caused Hinata to wrinkle her nose and cough lightly when she took a deep breath. As she turned to look around, she noticed that her arm was still stretched upwards, the hook shot still embedded high up in the tree. For the moment she was resting precariously along the side of the trunk, which was angled just enough that she could try to climb up.

Letting out a pained grunt, Hinata struggled to maneuver her legs and free arm around the twisted trunk. She lifted her free hand up to the gauntlet above and pressed down on the button atop the device. With a jolt, the hook shot retracted from where it was embedded, snapping smaller branches and twigs off as it returned. Hinata almost lost her balance from the force but quickly swung her arms around the tree for support. With deep breaths Hinata shut her eyes tightly, getting a whimper from Jack.

"I'm fine Jack." Hinata told him in a raspy voice. "Just trying to get my bearings." She opened her eyes and glanced down at the planet far below, before mumbling, "One thing at a time. I need to get down there."

She looked up at Jack and smiled when she saw him wagging his tail. Taking a deep breath, she slowly began climbing down the tree. Every movement caused her to wince and grit her teeth as her muscles shook from strain. Small beads of blood began to form on her already bruised skin as she dug her fingers into the twisted wood of the tree to maintain her fragile balance. After much struggle, Hinata finally made it to the bottom. She lowered her foot onto the mossy ground and after she had her footing, she reluctantly let go of the tree. Once on the ground, she immediately plopped down from exhaustion. Leaning her back against the trunk she placed both her hands over her face and sighed.

Jack drifted up beside her and lightly licked her bloodied shoulder, causing Hinata to lower her hands and look over at him. He wagged his tail when he noticed Hinata's gaze and floated up to lick her cheek. Hinata giggled as she was bombarded with dog kisses and lightly waved him away.

"I'm glad we made it too, Jack." She told him hoarsely before leaning her head back against the tree. "Every part of my body is hurting. I don't even want to get up to find out where I am." Lightly running her hand along her throat, she flinched and whispered, "I wish I had a mirror to see how bad I look." She laughed bitterly, "But then again maybe it would be better if I didn't see."

Jack landed on Hinata's lap and curled up before immediately falling asleep from exhaustion. Hinata smiled down at her pet and ran her hand along his back. She averted her eyes from him and began looking around the planet they found themselves on. In the distance, beyond the mushroom-like trees and odd plants, a billow of dark gray smoke fumed through the planet as it made its way to the sky.

"I wonder if that's from the ship." She mumbled to herself. Looking back down at Jack she lightly shook her hand on his back and awoke him, "I know you're tired… we both are… but I think I know where the ship is. Maybe we can salvage something useful from it."

Lifting from her lap, he yawned before shaking his bony head. With his ears perky and tail wagging, he barked in agreement with Hinata. She smiled at him and pushed herself to stand. With small steps, they began making their way towards the assumed crash site; stopping regularly to allow Hinata to regain her strength. As they made their way through the thick forest they began to make out someone singing in the distance.

Hinata momentarily stopped walking, eyes widening before she called out, "Hello? Is anyone there?" Her hoarse speech was barely audible and the voice continued to sing, unaware of their presence. Looking over at Jack with a pleading expression, she asked, "Can you see who it is?"

He barked in response and floated ahead. Hinata stumbled forward after Jack while he left to gain the stranger's attention. The singing fell silent and Hinata held her breath in anticipation. She leaned against a tree for a moment's rest when she heard rustling in a nearby plant. Startled, she jumped back and called, "Hello? Jack is that you?"

Before the words fully left her mouth a rusted bronze robot sprang up from the bushes. "Ah! A carbon based lifeform!" It exclaimed with its thin metal arms outstretched.

Hinata shrieked in surprise, jumping back and catching her foot on a root, causing her to fall to the ground. She grabbed her side and grimaced as she landed before looking back up, her eyes wide as she examined the robot in front of her. A large compass was implanted in its chest, and its legs and arms were incredibly thin. Two glowing computerized eyes stared at her with a sense of excitement and an array of wires stuck out of the back of its head.

Reaching out two four-fingered hands, the robot grabbed Hinata's hand and shook it rapidly. "I was wondering what that dog was here for! I just cannot not believe my eyes; a real human being! Where have you been all these years! I mean, not that I haven't enjoyed the lovely solitude of being abandoned these last hundred years but…" It stopped momentarily and laughed, "You let me know when I'm rambling!"

"Gah…" Hinata retracted her hand from the robot, "Who are you exactly?"

Standing back up straight the robot hit itself playfully on the head, "Oops! How rude of me! You'll have to forgive my manners! They're a little rusty after all these years. My name is B.E.N.!" Placing his hands in the air he explained, "Bio Electronic Navigator." He looked back over at Hinata and motioned his hand towards her, "And you are?"

Staring in disbelief at Ben in front of her, she realized he had asked her a question. Shaking her head she told him, "Oh, um… I'm Hinata." While she spoke, her dog flew up behind Ben and up beside her. She pointed to him and informed Ben, "And this is Jack."

Ben reached out and grabbed Hinata's hand, pulling her to her feet. He shook her hand roughly and chimed, "Lovely to meet you, Hinata and Jack!"

Withdrawing her hand with a pained expression, Hinata strained a smile, "Yeah, great to meet you too. Where are we, Ben?"

Outstretching his arms, he exclaimed, "Welcome to Bentopia!"

Hinata raised an eyebrow, "Bentopia? You can't be serious."

Ben rubbed his hands together and confessed, "Oh well alright, I don't know its real name. Well maybe I did one day, but that was before I lost it!"

"Lost what?" she asked.

"My mind!" his electronic eyes swirled in circles inside their metal casing before he turned around; pointing to a slot in his head where multiple bare wires were sticking out as if cut in half. "My primary memory circuit, my missing piece? It's been missing for as long as I can remember!"

"Oh, um… I'm sorry about that." Hinata told him, rubbing the back of her neck. "Is there a town nearby that we can go to?"

"It's just me!" Ben told her with a grin, "Well me and you two, and this entire planet!"

Hinata stared at him in disbelief, "What do you mean it's just you?"

"Trust me! I've had over a hundred years to walk all over this place!" he told her, laughing.

Crossing her arms and glancing over at Jack, Hinata asked, "How could that be? Someone had to build you."

"Don't get me started on pirates!" Ben blurted, waving his hands in front of him as he turned to walk away.

"What?" She asked in confusion, "I didn't say anything about pirates."

"Captain Flint was the worst of them all, suffered from severe mood swings!" he continued, almost ignoring Hinata's words.

Shaking her head, Hinata turned back towards the billowing smoke ahead. Motioning her head to Jack she said, "Come on, let's just get to the ship." Jack barked and began floating ahead. Hinata took a step forwards before looking back at Ben; who was still going on about pirates. With a sigh, she placed her hands on her hips and called out to him, "Do you want to come along with us?"

Ben stopped talking midsentence and looked over at Hinata with his eyes wide. Suddenly, he jumped towards her, beaming, "Would I? You mean I can tag along?"

He reached out to hug Hinata but she backed away, "Yes you can. But please, try to keep from touching me."

Stopping his movements, Ben placed his hands behind his back and mumbled, "Oh alright." He walked up to Hinata sadly; stopping in front of her before quickly lifting his finger and bopping her on the nose. He laughed and ran off after Jack.

Hinata stared after him, shaking her head. She looked up into the canopy of the mushroom trees and could see a dark orange sky through an opening. "Stuck on a planet with no population… great; hopefully Riku is better off than I am." At the mention of Riku, she closed her eyes tight and swallowed a lump forming in her throat. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked ahead, "I have to get to the ship."

Clenching her hands into fists, she began walking after Jack and Ben. It was a slow journey as she had to continuously rest to regain her fleeting strength, but eventually she approached the thick cloud of smoke. Coughing and waving her hand in an attempt to clear the air, she saw the beat up remains of her gummi ship. The outside of the vessel was surprisingly intact but with multiple dents on the hull. The smoke was originating from the control board in the cockpit, but thankfully was not producing flame. Hinata placed the inside of her elbow over her mouth in an attempt to keep the smoke out of her lungs as she approached the ship. Ben stood beside her with his arms crossed, staring at the machine in front of him.

"What manner of technology is this?" He asked in excitement. "I've seen ships, sure, but nothing like this! Where did this come from? Is this how you got here?" He continued his questions without giving Hinata a chance to respond while she stood looking at the remains of her ship in shock.

Jack floated up beside her and lightly licked her cheek. She looked over at him with tears forming in her eyes. Clearing her throat, she used her free hand to brush away the wetness from her face. Reaching to the right sleeve of her already tattered shirt, she tugged and ripped it off.

"What are you doing?" Ben asked when he heard the sound of clothing ripping.

Wrapping the cloth around her nose and mouth, Hinata tied the sleeve behind her head while informing him, "I want to look inside but I don't want to breathe in too much smoke."

"Let me look! I'm an excellent looker!" Ben beamed.

"You can come in with me, but I need to see everything for myself." She told him, beginning to walk forward.

With the door having been ripped off during the crash it was relatively easy getting inside the ship. Sparking stray wires and sharp pieces of metal protruded from various spots inside the living area. A majority of the smoke escaped through the shattered windshield of the ship and once Hinata was fully inside she lowered her makeshift mask. She stood in front of the still jammed door that led to the cockpit and examined the mess around her. The remains of her long hair were still trapped in the door and the small fridge that had previously contained some food had busted open, causing the contents inside to be thrown amuck. Everything was out of place as if a tornado had burst through the area.

"Just the way I left it." Hinata whispered sarcastically. She looked over at the bathroom to see the door was slid half closed. "I wonder if the mirror is still in one piece." She pondered, taking a few careful steps towards it.

Slinking her way inside, she flipped a switch and turned on a flickering ceiling light to reveal the battered room. The once white tile along the floor and walls were cracked and water sprayed from the broken shower head. A single fissure went straight down the middle of the entire mirror, causing Hinata's image to be split in half when she turned to see her reflection. Her eyes widened when she looked herself over. The ends of her red hair were frayed and uneven, barely reaching her chin. Dirt and dark purpled bruises spotted her face and skin; but nothing compared to her neck. Around her once fair throat were darkened shapes that were undoubtedly handprints. Hinata gasped, placing her hand over her mouth when her eyes fell on the bruises. Water swiftly swelled up in her eyes and her chest began to heave. Reaching down she clenched her hands around the edge of the sink and tightened her grip until her muscles quivered with strain. She stared into the mirror, unable to look away, as tears slowly began to stream down her cheeks, washing away streaks of dirt as they fell.

"This can't be happening…" She whispered, finally forcing herself to close her eyes.

"Woah! That's a panic attack if I ever did see one!" Ben yelled out and was instantly at Hinata's side, "Captain Flint had those all the time! He told me to never tell anyone about them... oops."

Using the back of her palm to brush away her tears, Hinata lightly pushed Ben away and assured him, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Standing up straight she held her shoulders back and mumbled, "Just a lot to take in is all." She paused for a moment before changing the subject, "I thought you said you lost your memory? Who is this Flint guy?"

Ben frowned, "It's strange really. I sometimes have these random flashes of things as if it's a past life of mine or something! I can't tell you how frustrating it is!"

Hinata scoffed, "I know what you mean. That sounds like a problem I have."

"Where are we again?" Ben changed the subject, "Wow! Is this some sort of vessel? I've never seen one like this!"

"You mentioned that earlier." Hinata told him, making her way out of the bathroom, deliberately avoiding looking into the mirror again.

"Did I?" He asked, laughing, "I've lost my mind!"

Hinata didn't respond and made her way back into the living area of the ship, where she saw Jack floating beside one of the beds. Avoiding the sharp pieces of metal along the floor, she walked over to him and lightly scratched him behind the ears. He nuzzled into her hand as he wagged his tail.

"Did you find something?" She asked him, clearing her throat when her voice barely came out.

Jack barked in response and left Hinata's hand to float under the rustled covers of the bed. Within a few seconds he reemerged with a book in his mouth. Hinata laid her palms flat and Jack dropped the book in her grasp. She smiled as she looked over the book, it was her Journey Journal.

"I'm surprised it's in perfect shape." She smiled up at Jack before sitting down on a clear part of the bed.

Jack snuggled into her lap as she opened the book to the first page. She lightly ran her finger along the first picture. She, Sora, Kairi, and Riku were all back on the island laughing and talking as they relaxed on the paopu tree watching the sun set like they did every day.

"You think I'll ever get back to the islands Jack?" She asked him. When he didn't respond she sighed, and closed the book. Placing her hand on top of it, she looked around the chaotic mess. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

Wrapping her hands around the ends of the book, she stood up and Jack floated up beside her. She made her way over to the table that was bolted into the floor of the ship and placed the book on top. Patting Jack on the head she asked, "Can you help me find my other things?"

He barked in response and immediately floated away in search.

"What's this?" Ben asked, causing Hinata to turn around. He held up a light blue popsicle that was still completely frozen to the stick inside a dark blue box.

"No way," Hinata said in disbelief as she rushed over to Ben. "How could this possibly still be in one piece?"

"What is it?" Ben asked, "Is it another carbon based life form?"

Hinata laughed, "No, it's a popsicle. It's called Sea Salt Ice Cream."

"Oh alright!" Ben exclaimed loudly, handing the frozen treat to Hinata. Flailing his arms around like a mad man, he began scurrying around the rest of the ship in search of new things.

Holding the small stick in her hand, Hinata looked down at the popsicle, her stomach rumbling in response. She placed her hand over her stomach and shrugged before placing the treat into her mouth, letting its sweet and salty taste coat her taste buds.

The three of them worked together in searching the ship, finding everything that had made it through the crash in one piece and piling it on top of the table.

"I couldn't find my swords anywhere," Hinata placed her hands on her hips. "I wonder if they got left in Hollow Bastion."

"All this stuff reminds me of the hoard of treasure stored in the center of this planet!" Ben exclaimed while placing a bracelet on top of the pile.

Hinata quickly picked up the bracelet and examined the single pearl along the simple chain to make sure it was still in one piece. Placing the jewelry around her wrist she asked, "There's treasure in the center of the planet?"

Ben's eyes flickered different colors when he spoke, "Wh-what? Treasure?"

Raising an eyebrow in confusion she clarified, "What you just said, you mentioned treasure."

"Oh… well you see it's a l-little fuzzy." Ben's wires began to spark as he spoke.

"Oh, alright," Hinata shrugged, "Not like treasure would do me much good here anyways."

Grabbing her brown satchel, found underneath one of the beds, she began placing the other items they found inside of it. Her journey journal, her personal diary, and a few pieces of food that had survived the crash were all packed inside the bag. All of the other personal items had been destroyed in the crash. After setting everything inside, Hinata closed the satchel and swung the bag over her shoulder, grimacing slightly as the weight of it strained her injuries.

"We should probably get out of here." She spoke up and looked over to Ben, "Where do you live at? You don't just sleep in this forest do you?"

Ben laughed, "Why of course not! I may be a robot but I do have standards!" Turning around and running out of the ship, he called behind him, "Follow me!"

Jack barked and wagged his tail happily as he immediately followed after the raving robot. Hinata sighed, reaching down and pulling her makeshift cloth mask over her nose and mouth before heading after the others. The smoke was still thick and caused Hinata's eyes to water as she made her way into the forest. Once she was far enough away, the smoke began to clear up. She followed Ben and Jack for what seemed to be an eternity; trying to keep up. She would occasionally lean up against a twisted tree trunk to catch a single breath before pushing herself forward.

A wave of bright sunlight caused Hinata to look up, and she realized that they had reached a clearing. The mushroom-like trees lined a large grassy field, and in the center of the area was a tall rock-like formation. It towered into the air as moss grew on the outside of it. Multiple holes in the structure led inside, revealing that it was in fact hollow.

"You live in that?" Hinata attempted to raise her voice loud enough to ask Ben up ahead.

"Sure do!" Ben called back, "Home sweet home for the last hundred years!"

"Wow…" she muttered under her breath. She looked over at Jack as he slowed his pace to be beside her. "Do you think we'll be here for a hundred years?"

His ears went flat on his head and he whimpered in response. Hinata nodded, "Yeah, I hope not too, Buddy." She sighed before perking up, "We'll find a way out of here. We still need to get Kairi and we have to save Riku." She frowned before shaking her head and laughing, "Sora can take care of himself though. He has Donald and Goofy." She glanced over at Jack and his ears slowly went back to their perky selves. His tail lifted and lightly wagged at Hinata's optimism.

"Here we are!" Ben called out to them from the base of his rocky dwelling. Without waiting for a response he began climbing thick vines that twisted around the base of his home. Losing his footing on one of the vines he whirled his arm around, barely catching himself before falling to the ground. "Whoops! Watch your footing! It's slippery!"

Readjusting her satchel, Hinata muttered under her breath, "Well, we will see how this goes."

Jack floated beside her for support as she shakily placed her hands on the vines to begin climbing. At an incredibly slow pace, she lifted her leg onto the base of the structure and struggled to pull herself up. She stopped for a moment and cursed under her breath, receiving a bark from Jack.

"You know, this would normally be super easy for me!" She complained to Jack in a frustrated tone. "If it wasn't for me making all these stupid mistakes, we wouldn't even be in this situation!" She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the vine she was supporting herself on. Her chest heaved for a moment before she whipped her head back up, assuring Jack, "Sorry, I'm fine. I can do this."

Pushing herself forward, she slowly made her way to the top of the vines and into the rock home. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim lighting inside, but once they did Hinata could see an array of items spread sporadically around the room. The area was a circular shape with ripped dirty drapes hung from strings through the center of the space as if to create the idea of separate rooms. Two half spheres stuck up from the ground with metal nodes sticking out of them.

Ben scurried around the room attempting to tidy things up for his guests while Hinata tiredly placed her satchel on the ground. Jack lightly nuzzled his head into Hinata's shoulder and she raised her hand to pat him on the back. Walking forward, she approached one of the half spheres sticking out of the ground. She ran her hand along the top of it, brushing away some loose moss.

"Is this metal?" She asked Ben, turning her head towards him.

"Ah you mean that thing that leads into miles and miles of machinery?" Ben stopped his movements, shrugging, "I have no idea!"

"Wait, what?" Hinata waved her hands in front of her, "Time out, there are miles of machinery? Where?"

Walking up to the other half sphere on the other side of the room, Ben pushed on the side of it. With a loud creak, it rolled to its side to reveal a bright opening. Hinata hobbled over to look into the opening and gasped. Hundreds of feet down were layers of electronic devices with metal pathways leading to each separate level. Small lights and sparks brightly lit the entire inside of the planet.

"This planet is basically a giant machine." Hinata whispered under her breath. "This is amazing. I wish I was feeling well enough to explore it." She looked back at Jack, grinning, "Maybe if we are lucky we can find some parts to fix the ship!" Her smile faded when she gazed back at the machinery, "Not that I know the first thing about how to do that." She sighed, pushing back from the opening. "Still though, that's something at least."

"Well you're welcome to stay here as long as you like!" Ben told her excitedly as he pulled back on the sphere to close the opening.

Hinata strained a smile, "Thanks Ben. We will probably be staying here for a while." She scowled once the words left her mouth but didn't say anything more.

Heading back to her satchel, she leaned against the wall and slid to the ground. She grabbed her bag from beside her and began rummaging through her things, and pulled out her diary she had been writing in. She opened it and began reading her past entries as Jack snuggled up beside her. Her muscles reluctantly began to relax as they realized that they no longer had to push themselves. The more she read, the heavier her eyes became and before she knew it, she was lulled into slumber.

The dark surroundings of the cave melted away into a bright sunny morning. The wind was breezing softly, sending flower petals floating through the air. Hinata found herself standing back in the garden courtyard of her dream. She smiled, realizing where she was.

"I'd much rather be here." She said aloud as she caught a passing flower petal.

"Where else have you been?" Lea's voice caught Hinata off guard.

She looked over and saw Lea and Isa standing next to her, eating some Sea Salt ice cream. Smirking she replied, "Oh you know, places. Where is my ice cream?"

Isa chuckled, "You already ate it remember? You insisted on sharing it with your dad since he likes it so much."

"I did?" she asked, "What… was he off work today or something?"

"Nah, you just sort of barged into his office and gave him a popsicle." Lea laughed, "You have guts sometimes."

Hinata laughed, "Man I wish I remembered doing that." She took a deep breath of the sweet scented air and asked, "So what are we up to today?"

"We have sparring class coming up." Isa told her as he eyed her, a little confused. "How come your memory is suddenly so bad?"

"This is just a dream," Hinata told him, waving him off before rubbing the back of her neck uncomfortably. "Hey, I don't think I'm going to sparring class today. I might just go talk to my dad some more; or my mom."

Both Lea and Isa looked at her in bewilderment.

"Are you crazy?" Lea walked up to her with his hands placed firmly on his hips. "Master would literally flip if you skipped out!"

"Yeah, well let him!" Hinata bit back, "This is my dream, and I'm going to do what I want in it!"

She turned around to walk towards the castle in the distance when the bright garden around her melted into a dark sparring room. Realizing she was no longer outside, Hinata looked down and saw that she was in her sparring uniform. Groaning, she complained, "Great, I can't even control my own dream."

The door to the room squeaked open causing Hinata to freeze. Footsteps approached from behind her and her friends both stood at attention before slightly bowing at their guest.

"Hinata?" The deep voice called her name in confusion.

Gulping, Hinata slowly turned around to face the man and as she expected, it was her master.

"Xehanort…" She responded, avoiding eye contact.

"I thought all of you agreed to call me master?" The voice asked in a kind tone, catching Hinata off guard. "You said it made me seem more like a leader."

She looked up at him in confusion and her eyes widened when she noticed that his irises were no longer amber, but brown. The corners of her mouth turned up when she responded, "Just trying something new."

He arched an eyebrow at her before walking past and addressing Lea and Isa. The three of them spoke together as Hinata backed away and mumbled under her breath, "This must be before he changed."

The three men in front of her stopped talking and glanced over at her. "Changed to what?" Xehanort asked.

Hinata forced a smile, "Oh nothing, just thinking."

Xehanort left Lea and Isa and walked towards Hinata. In a quieted voice he asked, "You're a horrible liar. What are you talking about?"

"People always want to remind me how awful I am at lying." Hinata laughed under her breath before looking up at Xehanort. "But honestly, I didn't do anything to give away I wasn't telling the truth. What makes you think I did?"

He shrugged, smiling, "I know you. I don't know anything about myself so I make it my personal duty to know my students."

Hinata crossed her arms, "What are you researching at the castle right now?"

His smile faded, "Why?"

"Just tell me." She urged.

The details on his face hardened and his eyes slowly began to flux from their golden color into the amber Hinata was familiar with. "It doesn't matter." He told her as his voice deepened, "Go practice your sets."

Shaking her head, Hinata pushed, "It does matter! Something at that castle changed you."

"Hey Princess, stop interrogating the new guy!" Braig's voice broke into the conversation.

Hinata looked away from Xehanort and saw that Braig had entered the sparring room. A bandage covered one of his eyes and a scar reached across his cheek. His amber eyes gleamed as he smirked over at Hinata. Walking forward he reached his arm over Xehanort's shoulder and pulled him into an awkward hug.

"He's only been here for a few months and you're already grilling him?" Braig continued, "You just don't quit with your questions.

"Your eyes changed color…" Hinata responded examining his face. "They used to be brown."

Braig scoffed. "That's a nice greeting. Anything else you want to point out?"

Xehanort pulled away from Braig and asked, "What interests you so much about our research?"

Hinata put her hands up in exasperation, "You know what? This is my dream and I'm not particularly interested in spending it explaining myself. I'm going to spend time with my family."

"What? You can't just…" Everyone in the room began objecting to Hinata, but were cut off when she stalked to the exit of the sparring room and opened the door.

Stepping to what should have been to the outdoor garden, Hinata found herself in the kitchen back at her home. She smiled when she saw her mother cooking something on the stove.

"Finally, I can relax." She said relieved. Walking forward she raised her hand to place it on her mom's shoulder but went straight through her. "What?" She gasped, looking down at her hand when her mother turned around and passed through Hinata like she was a ghost.

Turning around, she followed her mother into the dining room where she saw Kairi, her grandmother and a clone of herself sitting at the oak table. Confused, Hinata walked into the room and situated herself in the corner where she could see everything going on. She crossed her arms while she watched the scene play before her. Her mom placed a bowl of salad onto the table before sitting down with the rest of her family.

"Dinner is served." Her mom told them with a smile as she sat.

"It looks delicious mom, thanks." Hinata's copy thanked, hungrily grabbing a spoonful of the salad.

"What were you up to today Hina?" Kairi asked when Hinata passed the large bowl of food to her.

Hinata shrugged, "Oh you know, the usual. Although, sparring class went a little bit longer. Master wanted us to get a certain set down before letting us go."

"You should teach me one of those sets!" Kairi beamed. "You look so cool when you fight!"

Her sister was about to respond when their grandmother intervened, "Absolutely not! Kairi you are not allowed anywhere near those things."

"I think Kairi should make that decision on her own." Hinata contradicted her grandmother. "It could be useful to learn how to fight."

"It is so unladylike!" Her grandmother complained. "You shouldn't even be allowed to learn it Hinata. You're getting older, young lady, what are you planning to do with your life? Due to your gender you'll never be allowed to join the military or do anything with that knowledge."

Hinata groaned, "Can we sit through one meal without you bringing this up?"

"And you have yet to answer me about it!" She pried. "In just a few years your friends will most likely go off into the military and you'll be left here to start your own life. And with what skills? You have no idea how to cook, you're terrible at housecleaning! No man is going to want to marry you if you keep this up."

Tossing her utensils onto the table with a clang, Hinata defended, "Why does everything have to be about me getting married? Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to get married? Maybe I have better things to do with my life than doting on some guy."

"Better things like what, dear?" Her grandmother asked, "You have yet to show me what you're planning to do with your life."

Hinata stammered, "I-I don't know. Nothing really stands out to me. Maybe I'll work in the castle."

Her Grandmother scoffed, "Like your father? That man has placed work above everything in his life. When's the last time he sat down here for a meal with us? You want to be like that?"

Pushing back her chair, Hinata abruptly stood from her seat and bit, "If it means I get to be away from your nagging, then yes! It finally makes sense why dad wanted to get away so badly! It was so he could be away from you!"

"Hinata!" Her mother scolded her, finally speaking up. "Apologize to your grandmother!"

Hinata's eyes momentarily softened when her mother's harsh tone hit her. She looked beside her and saw Kairi sitting silently, absently poking her salad with her eyes glued to the table. A scowl appeared on Hinata's face and looking down at the table she defended, "You know what, no; I'm not going to apologize." Looking right into her grandmother's old eyes she told her, "You have no right to tell me what to do with my life. I'm sick and tired of you telling me what I can and can't do." Looking over to her mom she continued, "And honestly mom, I don't know why I'm the one that's getting in trouble for standing up for myself."

"Because she isn't wrong Hinata," Her mom interrupted with her voice calm. "You are getting older and you don't have a clue what you are going to do with your life."

"I joined that new sparring class with Master Xehanort a few months ago." Hinata pointed out, "I'm there for hours after school every day learning new things! Why isn't that good enough for you?"

"But where is sparring going to take you?" Her mother asked, looking up into her eyes. "You're learning all of these techniques and even warfare history, which I am so glad you are enjoying; but how is that going to help your future? Grandmother is right; since you are a woman there is little to no future for you in it."

"Leave Hina alone!" Kairi exclaimed standing up. "Let her do what she wants. You let me pick flowers, so why can't Hina fight?"

Hinata smiled, placing her hand on top of Kairi's head. "Thanks Aiko, but this is a little different." Patting her sister's head, she turned and began to walk out of the room. "I need some air."

She hurriedly left the area, leaving her family in the dining room in silence. The real Hinata, who was still leaning against the corner of the wall, tightened her hands around her arms before pushing away from her spot to follow her copy. Opening the front door, she stepped outside and a gush of wind brushed past her, causing her to shield her eyes. She lowered her arms from her face once the wind settled and found herself in a marble diamond shaped courtyard. There was a short wall along the edge of the area fencing off the miles upon miles of still water that surrounded the town. Leaning against the wall was Hinata's dream self; staring out at the glassy water as it perfectly reflected the warm hues of the setting sun. Hinata slowly walked up beside her copy and pulled herself on top of the stone wall to sit. Cupping her hands in her lap, Hinata looked at her clone's face. Her eyes were reddened as she attempted to hold back tears.

"It's not often I see you out here after practice." A deep voice brought both of the Hinatas out of their trance.

Roughly rubbing her cheek with the back of her hand, the copy of Hinata turned away from the water to see Xehanort walking up beside her with his hands clasped behind his back. His once amused eyes swiftly softened when he saw the emotion in Hinata's eyes.

"What happened?" he asked once he was beside her.

Hinata looked back out over the water before shrugging. "Family stuff, I'll get over it."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He pried, placing his hands along the top of the wall.

Closing her eyes tightly, Hinata's voice lightly broke as she forced a laugh, "Wouldn't that be breaking protocol or something; talking about personal things with a teacher." Opening her eyes to glance over at the man beside her she scoffed, "Plus, why would you care about it?"

"You are one of my prized students," He shrugged, "I want to make sure your mind is free of stress when you practice." He lightly nudged her with his shoulder, "And I'm off duty. So think of me more as a friend rather than a master."

Hinata sighed, "If you say so… It's my family; or really, my grandmother to be specific." Turning around, she pulled herself onto the wall to sit. "Ever since I got interested in fighting she's been against it. Always telling me it's unladylike." She exaggerated the last part of the sentence by hyphenating with her hands before continuing. "At first I just shrugged it off… but these last few months she's gotten worse. Every night she tells me I need to quit sparring and find something useful to do with my life." Reaching down, she grabbed a small pebble beside her on the wall and threw it into the water; causing a ripple to shatter the beautiful reflection on the surface. "Then tonight I finally had enough and stood up for myself."

"Good work." Xehanort included with a smirk.

"Yeah, except then I got in trouble and my mom joined in. Apparently my whole family just thinks of me as a joke." She admitted before resting her elbows on her lap and planting her face in the palms of her hands. "And the thing is, I think I agree with them. I'm not good at anything other than fighting… and what is that going to get me?" Lifting her face she looked over at Xehanort. "You know the rules here, women aren't allowed into the military and I wouldn't be allowed to become a sparring teacher." She sighed, "I wish my dad hadn't let me pick up sparring in the first place."

Xehanort was silent in thought after Hinata finished speaking. He stared out at the stilling water as it recovered from the pebble's disruption. Once it was clear he began to smirk. Glancing over at Hinata, he erased the smile on his face and spoke up. "I'm sorry that happened."

Brushing her hand over her cheek again to eradicate a loose tear, she told him, "It's fine."

"It isn't though," He shook his head. "Your family is supposed to be there to support you through anything and instead they are pointing out nonexistent flaws. You deserve better."

Hinata sniffled and let out a small laugh, "Thanks. But they weren't wrong."

Placing his hand on her shoulder, Xehanort turned her towards him, "Yes they were. You are following your passion in life; what gives them the right to tell you to stop? So what if you are not allowed to join the military? Make your own path."

"And what path would that be?" She asked.

Xehanort stared into her golden eyes for a moment before releasing his hold on her shoulder. Placing his hands behind his back he admitted, "I wanted to wait to tell you this until I had everyone in class tomorrow but… I can give you a purpose in life."

"What do you mean?" She asked in confusion.

"There's an organization I am getting ready to put together," He explained. "Thirteen of the brightest most talented people I can find."

"An organization?" She repeated, "What for?"

He looked at her with a small smile, "To make a difference in the world; and not just this one but to all of the worlds out there." He looked up as stars slowly began to appear in the darkening sky. "You see those stars?" He waited until Hinata looked up before he continuing, "Every one of those stars are a different world somewhere out in the distance just waiting for someone to change it… to make it better. The hearts of people are hardened; closed from what they are destined to be. But with the help of my organization we are going to open their hearts back to their true nature."

Hinata lightly smiled as he spoke before responding, "I didn't realize you were such an idealist." Looking down from the sky she examined his face. "And you want me to be a part of it?"

"You did say you were looking for purpose." He looked down at her with a fire in his eyes. "Why not change the course of the universe?"

"I…" she paused and her cheeks dusted a light rose before she looked back up at the stars. After a few moments of silent thought she smiled "Yeah… why not?"

"Welcome to the Organization." He smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Am I the first member?" She asked, looking down from the sky into Xehanort's eyes.

Removing his hand from her, he clasped his hands behind his back, informing her, "Afraid not. Braig is the second and I am the first."

"So does that make me the third?" She asked placing her hands on her hips.

"I suppose it does, number three." He grinned in a slightly unsettling way, causing Hinata to clear her throat uncomfortably before she looked away.

The real Hinata slid down from her perch and walked in front of her double. She reached out her hands to grab her dream self's shoulders, but as expected she went straight through her. Crossing he arms she told her, "He's lying to you. You're going to follow his every order and ignore his hardening heart because of this moment… because he promised you a purpose." She looked over at Xehanort while he looked back up to the stars. "But in reality he ruins everything you hold close. He rips away any purpose you might have had and tried to throw you into pure darkness." Gazing back at herself she pleaded, "I wish you could hear me. I wish I knew what I was doing back then. I was just so desperate for a chance…"

Shaking her head, she turned away and looked out onto the still water, sparkling with the reflection of the appearing stars. In the distance on the flat horizon the glowing moon began to rise, lighting the dark courtyard. Hinata placed her hands on top of the stone wall waiting for Xehanort to leave her double. While she stared out at the rising moon her surroundings began to form into a different setting. The water washed away to reveal a white hard floor and walls with thin black lines pulsating through them as if something alive was inside. The floor went on through the long narrow hallway, reaching as far as Hinata could see. Sounds of the peaceful night were replaced with the unsettling sound of crying with the occasional scream, causing Hinata to widen her eyes.

Turning in place, Hinata's breath became dangerously shallow when she realized where she was. "No, no I don't want to see this." She panicked.

"What is this place?" She heard herself whisper behind her.

Spinning around, Hinata saw herself standing beside Lea and Isa.

"This must be what they have been hiding." Isa replied quietly.

"What are those noises?" Lea asked, rubbing his hands together uncomfortably. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea sneaking in this time. We've never made it this far before."

"That's because we didn't have Hinata those other times." Isa pointed out. "Have you seen this before Hinata?"

Hinata's double shook her head uneasily and told them. "No… I've never been past my dad's office during family visits. But I agree with Lea, maybe we should go."

"Master is the top apprentice isn't he?" Lea asked, gulping. "You don't think he has anything to do with this do you? Or your dad?"

"I don't know, but we should really get out of here." Hinata grabbed Lea's arm and pulled him towards her. "Those sounds aren't natural. Maybe it's better kept a secret."

"I want to see what it is." Isa told them, standing his ground. "You guys really just want to bail when we finally found something interesting?"

"We aren't supposed to be here in the first place Isa," Hinata pleaded, "Whatever involves people screaming isn't a good thing. What do you think would happen if we got caught?"

Isa smirked and shrugged before walking forward without them, "Don't get caught then."

"Isa stop!" Hinata reached out her hand to stop her friend but he already moved out of her reach.

Lea pulled away from Hinata's grip and shrugged, "Maybe he's right."

"You want to stay now, seriously?" Hinata asked with a slight panic in her voice.

"We can't just let him go on his own." Lea defended. "Friends have to stick together." Forcing a smile he tapped his finger on his forehead, "Got it memorized?"

She sighed and reluctantly nodded her head before following after Isa with Lea at her side. Hinata's face paled while she watched herself and Lea walk further down the hall after Isa. Shaking her head she whispered, "Please, I don't want to see this."

She tightly closed her eyes in attempt to force her dream to bring her to a new setting but the hall was all that met her when she opened her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she turned and began walking after the echo memories of her friends. "Fine…" She resigned under her breath.

Tears began to well up in her eyes every step closer she came to the screams. Soon she caught up to herself with Lea and Isa. They stood in utter shock and almost pure disgust at what their eyes beheld. In front of them were rows of glass cylinders that reached from the ceiling down to the floor; attached to each tube was a computer and multicolored wires linking everything together. The tubes themselves, however, were not what was causing the noise. It was the humans inside the tubes. Some of them were knelt on the ground with their heads between their legs as if they were trying to forget where they were. Others were actively trying to escape by pounding and scratching at the glass while screaming how they were going to find a way out. A few, that the three teens tried their best to ignore, were curled up on the ground in unnatural positions with their eyes rolled back into their heads.

"I don't understand." Lea said under his breath, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"This… is sick." Hinata heard her double gasp out, while Isa stayed silent.

A tube in front of the teens had one female inside of it. She was curled up in a fetal position when suddenly her body began to convulse. Lea and Hinata startled from the woman's sudden movement and watched in shock, unable to tear their eyes away. The woman's fair skin began flaking away to reveal a black shadow underneath. She shrieked when her face melted into a different creature; her blue eyes shined brightly before changing into a glowing yellow. Within seconds the woman in front of them had changed into a black creature with two straggly antennas. It twitched unnaturally and caught sight of the three teens outside its tube. Without notice, it immediately rammed into the side of the glass, scratching the tube with its sharp front claws.

"W-What is that thing?" Hinata's double yelled loudly.

Isa swiftly swung his hand over her mouth and scolded in a whisper, "Shut up! We're not supposed to be here, remember?"

"Braig did you hear that?" Even's voice was heard somewhere in the midst of the tubes.

"Sure did, sounds like we have some unwelcome visitors." Braig responded.

"Great." Isa groaned, "Thanks a lot."

Without waiting for her response, Isa grabbed Lea's arm and bolted out of sight while Hinata's copy seemed glued to the ground as she stared wide eyed at the creature in the tube in front of her.

"Oh-ho, why hello Princess." Braig's voice startled the frightened girl. "Should have known you would find out our little secret before it was time."

She tore her eyes away from the creature over to Braig. His arms were crossed over his long lab coat while he smirked devilishly at her.

"Braig… what's going on? Does Xehanort know about this?" She found her voice and asked.

"Know about it? As if," Braig laughed, "He's the one who started all this!"

"What?" She responded in disbelief, her knees shaking for a moment. Shaking her head she refused, "No, you're wrong. He wouldn't."

"Oh, because you know him so well?" Braig rolled his eyes. "How about you ask him yourself?"

Before she could respond he walked forward and grabbed her arm tightly. She shrieked while attempting to pull out of his grasp. "No! Let me go!"

The real Hinata stared in horror as Braig dragged her copy away. Forcing her heavy feet to move, she followed Braig until he stopped in front of a large white door.

Knocking loudly, Braig yelled, "Hey Xehanort, seems like your 'prized student' went and found out your dirty little secret!"

Rushed footsteps were heard on the opposite side of the door when it was hastily opened by Xehanort. He stood in his lab coat staring down at Hinata while Braig held her in custody.

He sighed when he saw her in front of him and closed the door behind him. "This is unfortunate. I had hoped to wait to show you this until you were ready."

"So you are part of this?" She asked as tears welled up in her eyes, "But why? How could you do this? All those people… what are you doing to them?"

Reaching out his hand beside him, he ignored her question, "No matter, once you have become a member this won't matter anymore. Things will just have to move ahead of schedule." Once he finished speaking a bright electric flash surrounded his hand and when it dissipated an intricately designed black weapon appeared in his hand. Braig's eyes lit up along with a wide grin on his face when he saw the weapon appear.

Squirming desperately, Hinata's copy shrieked, "What is that thing?"

"Hold her steady." Xehanort told Braig as he readied the blade in his hand.

"No! What are you doing?" She pleaded when she saw Xehanort ready his mysterious weapon. Lifting her foot, she stomped on Braig's foot and when he bent down in unexpected pain she freed one of her hands and punched his bandaged eye.

Yelling in pain, Braig momentarily loosened his grip on her; allowing her to wriggle out of his grasp. She sprinted as fast she could through the rows of tubes, trying to get out of sight. She could hear multiple footsteps hurriedly following her but she refused to look back. The real Hinata ran beside her as they attempted to escape together.

Reaching a set of spiraling stairs, she ran up them, ignoring her shallowing breath. She pushed open a door once she got to the next level and ran into a round study room. Bookcases filled with large books surrounded the room and a man with long blonde hair and a dark red scarf tied around his neck sat behind a desk in the center of the room.

He stood abruptly as Hinata burst into the room. "Hinata? My dear, what's wrong?"

She ran up to him and grabbed his arm, "It's Xehanort, you need to get out of here!"

His golden eyes narrowed while muttering, "He continued the experiments…" Looking into Hinata's terrified eyes he told her, "Run home to your family. Keep them safe."

"What? I can't do anything!" She argued.

"This type of situation is the reason I wanted you to learn the art of swordplay." The man told her, "Now go!"

He pushed her towards the opposite door and before she headed through she asked, "What about you?"

"I will do what needs to be done." He clasped his hands calmly in front of him before ordering her once more, "Go!"

A tear fell down her cheek before she nodded and fled out the door. The real Hinata stayed behind for a moment to stare at the man who sent her away. Closing her eyes she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Without looking back at him, she rushed after her copy to continue watching her echoed memory. As she ran after her the surrounding castle changed to set her outside where chaos was already reining. The sky was dark with an orb forming in the air. Screams could be heard from every direction and an almost hurricane wind blasted Hinata's copy as she ran. She continued sprinting, her eyes focused on getting home as fast she could. The same black creatures from the lab began appearing around her; chasing after her in attempt to slow her pace.

Reaching her front lawn, she slammed against the door and shakily opened it. She rushed inside and found her mother in the living room with her arms wrapped protectively around Kairi and their grandmother.

"Hinata!" Her mother cried, "Where have you been?"

"Where are my swords?" She responded looking around frantically.

The real Hinata's eyes widened when she entered the house behind her ghost. "No… not this. I can't…" She stammered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hina, what's happening?" Kairi pulled away from her mother's grasp and ran up beside her older sister.

Her sister momentarily stopped her search and placed her hand against Kairi's cheek. "Everything is going to be fine Aiko. Stay with mom and grandma."

Kairi reluctantly nodded and did as she was told while her sister ran upstairs and found her blades in her bedroom. Running back downstairs she stood in the entryway with her wooden swords in her hands and looked at her family huddled in the living room. She was about to head out the door when there was a thunderous knock. Her breathing halted for a moment before the door burst open with Xehanort standing on the other side, gripping his black weapon tightly. His brown eyes had transformed into a burning amber that stared into Hinata.

Backing up, she gulped and tightened her grip on her blades. "Why are you doing this?" She asked him in an attempt to be confident, but her breaking voice gave away her fear.

"I told you months ago, do you not recall?" His voice deepened as he walked into the house, causing Hinata to back up. "I am opening people's hearts back to their true nature."

"You're turning them into monsters!" She yelled back in disgust.

"Don't you see yet?" He grinned, "Darkness is the heart's true essence!"

"You're sick!" She shouted, "I don't why I followed you before, but I will never be part of your organization!"

His eyes glinted with anger, "After everything I have done, everything I have taught you, you're going to reject everything that's given you purpose?"

"I am not a monster!" She cried. "How am I supposed to follow you when you break into my home and threaten my family?"

"You are the one who stated that they thought you were an utter failure! Why would you waste your breath protecting them?" He challenged.

"At least I know they won't betray me!" She defended readying her weapons. "Now get out of our home or I will make you leave!"

Xehanort laughed, "Have you not seen the outdoors? Your home is all that's left of this pathetic world. Once I rid myself of the population nothing will keep me and my Organization from continuing our work."

"I'm not going to let that happen." She told him, "I will find a way to stop you."

"So that is your decision?" He asked, "You are choosing death over purpose?"

"If it keeps me from becoming like you, yes." She nodded.

Closing his eyes and placing his chin against his chest, he sighed, "So be it."

Xehanort swung his weapon towards Hinata but she was quick to raise her wooden blades. The force of his blow cracked both of her swords but they remained in one piece.

Pushing his weight onto his weapon over Hinata's he asked, "How many blows do you think those toys can take?"

Without answering, she kicked his knee, causing him to lose his balance and swung her free blade hard against the side of his head before rushing to the other side of him to face the open front door.

"How many blows can you take to your head?" She quipped breathing heavily.

Grimacing, Xehanort grabbed the side of his head while he staggered to his feet. Lines of blood began dripping down the side of his cheek over the wide grin he wore on his face. Hinata uneasily shifted her blades in her hands, waiting for his next move.

Reaching behind him, he grabbed her mom's arm and yanked her forward; ignoring the screams from Kairi. The real Hinata cried out, "Mom no!" She ran forward and desperately tried to grab her mom from Xehanort but fell straight through her.

"Let her go!" Kairi cried out, pulling away from her grandmother's grasp and pounding her tiny fists against Xehanort's back.

With a growl, Xehanort kicked Kairi away, making her land in a small heap on the ground. The real Hinata rushed to Kairi's side as her copy yelled, "Leave them out of this! This is between you and me!"

"You are quick to protect the people who rejected you." He responded, turning his head to the side to spit out blood that had pooled in his mouth. "What would happen if I were to strip you of everything you hold dear?"

Both the real Hinata and her copy widened their eyes at his words. Before either of them could respond the roof to the house was blown off and flew into the huge sparking orb in the blackened sky.

"I control who enters that orb and who is turned into a Heartless." Xehanort explained, watching Hinata's face pale. "Not that it truly matters who goes where; both lose their hearts to the darkness."

"I thought you didn't know who you were… how can you control all this?" Hinata's copy asked, inching closer to her mother.

"Following my purpose has revealed to me my past… My true nature and name..." Xehanort explained with a grin while the strong wind began raising Hinata's mother off the ground. "Ansem."

Once the words were out he released his hold on Hinata's mom allowing the wind to take her away as she shrieked. Hinata dropped her blades and reached for her mom's arm but she was barely out of reach.

"Mom no!" She screamed, reaching up desperately. In horror, she watched her mom be engulfed by the orb. The moment her mom was out of sight, her knees gave way and she crumbled to the ground; burying her face in her hands.

"Such a pity." Xehanort chuckled, turning towards her. "You could have been the last to enter the Organization from this world. You would have been the seventh member."

She looked up from her hands and spat, "I will never join your group! I don't care what you do to me or what you take away. I will never join you!"

Lifting his weapon for an attack he told her, "We will have to see about that."

Lowering her head, Hinata waited for the blow; when suddenly Kairi ran in front of her, "No! You won't hurt Hina!"

The real Hinata stood from her spot where she had been beside Kairi watching the events transpire. She walked forward to be next to Xehanort to fully watch what was about to happen next.

Her copy looked up at her sister and yelled, "Kairi, get out of here!"

"No!" Kairi clenched her hands into tiny fists and stared undeterred at their adversary.

Xehanort laughed with his weapon still in the air, "Fine then, you shall go together."

Thrashing his weapon down he aimed straight for Kairi's head but inches away from impact an invisible shield stopped him mid-attack. With a bright light, his weapon flung backwards and Xehanort grabbed his hand while yelling in agony.

"Kairi…" Hinata whispered in disbelief.

"I told you that lady saved me." Kairi looked back at her sister and gave her a small reassuring smile. "We're going to be alright, just like you said."

While Kairi spoke, the small pearl on her necklace lit up and engulfed both of the sisters in a blinding light; shooting them into the sky. Within seconds the light was gone and both Kairi and Hinata's copy had vanished.

"Where are they?" Xehanort yelled when he realized they were missing.

"How did that happen?" The real Hinata wiped her tears away while she spoke aloud.

She yelped when Xehanort grabbed her shoulder and yelled, "Where did you go?"

"What? No, you aren't supposed to see me!" She struggled to pull away from him. "Get away from me!"  
She pushed him away while backing up when she ran into someone behind her. Turning around, she saw Riku standing in front of her in the dark outfit she had seen him in during their last encounter. His bright eyes glared into her and he yelled, "What happened to you?"

"Riku?" She asked shaking her head and backing away from both the men. Placing her hands on the sides of her head she pleaded, "I need to wake up. Wake up!"

Both Riku and Xehanort yelled at her, demanding answers while she knelt down on the ground.

"This isn't real!" She called out to drown out their voices. "This is just a dream! I need to wake up!"

"Wake up to what?" Riku scoffed, causing Hinata to momentarily look up at him. "You're stranded on a planet with a broken ship and no other human beings. Yeah, sounds like a great life you got there." He laughed, "What a great life for the most useless girl there ever was! Began with no meaning and ends the same way." He knelt down to her level and whispered. "I don't know why I ever cared for a girl as meaningless as you."

Hinata's eyes welled up with tears before she shook her head and assured him. "No, you don't mean that. You aren't real. If the real Riku didn't care about me he wouldn't have saved my life back in Hollow Bastion."

Riku's lips thinned before he stood up and crossed his arms. Hinata's voice shook as she finally broke down and began to cry, "Why can't I dream of the real Riku?"

"Who's this Riku?" Ben's voice broke into the dream. "Is he an imaginary friend? Ah that's so exciting! I have so many of those! We should have an imaginary friend tea party!"

Hinata fluttered her eyes open to see Ben inches from her face. She gasped and harshly shoved him away from her. "What are you doing? Were you watching me sleep?"

Bright sunrays from the new morning outside blinded her eyes when she shoved Ben away. Jack barked at Ben after being startled awake from the commotion. Hinata groaned, leaning her head back against the wall behind her.

"I suppose I'm back in… Bentopia then aren't I?" She mumbled while she rubbed her eyes only to find that her cheeks were soaked.

"You were leaking drops of water in your sleep!" Ben explained and held up a small glass bottle. "I couldn't remember if that water was a mandatory requirement to keep you carbon based life forms functioning properly so I thought I would catch your leakage in this bottle to keep it safe!"

Hinata wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the small amounts of her water stored in the glass bottle in Ben's hand. She opened her mouth to speak but broke into a laugh. "I don't know if I should be oddly touched by the sentiment or really creeped out."

"I've found that both seems to cope well with most humans." Ben told her. "Captain Flint mostly stuck with being completely enraged all the time! I never did get the chance to save his leakage."

"Don't… just stop saying it like that. They're called tears." She clarified waving her hands in front of her, "It happens when someone is really happy or sad."

"You must have been really happy then!" Ben exclaimed, placing a lid on the bottle, despite the creeped-out look Hinata gave him. "Because you had quite a lot of them!"

Bringing her legs to her chest, Hinata looked out the opening of the cave out on the planet outside. Resting her chin on her knees she mumbled, "Yeah… not exactly." Looking over at Jack beside her she told him, "We're going to find a way off this planet Jack. I promise."

He barked softly in response while wagging his tail as Hinata stared back out at the planet outside. It was a new day full of possibilities and new beginnings.


	3. Bentopia

Chapter 3

Hinata stared out the opening of the rock home she found herself in, watching the sun slowly coat the planet in light as it raised high in the sky. Jack floated after Ben while the robot scurried around the room doing various things. Hearing her stomach rumble, Hinata reached over to her satchel and pulled out a piece of bread that had survived the crash of the gummi ship. As she nibbled on the stale bread, Ben walked up and knelt in front of her.

She waited for him to speak, but after a moment of silence she asked, "Um… was there something you wanted?"

"Your left shoulder looks out of place." Ben told her in an surprisingly normal tone of voice.

"That would explain why it hurts so much." Hinata shrugged her one good shoulder. "Every part of me aches right now so it's a little hard to tell exactly what's wrong."

Ben jumped up and took one large step to be beside her. Placing his hand behind her back, he pushed her forward.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Hinata said, nearly choking on her bread. "Don't touch- Ow!"

Grabbing Hinata's shoulder with his metal hands, Ben gave a hard tug, getting a yell from Hinata as her shoulder was forced back into place.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hinata yelled; her hoarse voice cracking as she protested.

Ben stood proudly and told her, "Do not fret! I just repaired you!"

Glaring at the robot in front of her, Hinata slowly rolled the shoulder Ben had just replaced. As she moved it her glare turned into a look of thanks.

"I must have dislocated it when I used my hook shot." She pieced together before nodding to Ben, "Um… thanks. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Jack floated up to Ben and nuzzled the side of his bronze face in gratitude. Ben clasped his hands behind his back and lifted one of his legs behind him. "Oh it was nothing. Don't mention it! I used to fix up all sorts of people when I was with those pirates!" Hinata just smiled in response, and he brought his hands in front of him excitedly. "So what do my new housemates want to do today? How about I take you to see the hollow flowers? They are so large that you can walk inside of them! Or we could see the wild herd of tadpoles in the murky pond! There aren't any frogs though… so maybe they aren't actually tadpoles. I think I'll call them Benpoles... or would TadBens be better? Oh I know! We could call them Hinacks; in honor of my new friends!"

Hinata quickly put up her hands and interrupted, "Ben, you're rambling; like really… just be quiet."

Ben stopped talking and slapped his hands over his mouth. "Oopsie…"

Shaking her head, Hinata responded, "Not that seeing… Hinacks wouldn't be super exciting, but I can barely walk. It took all of my adrenaline just to get here yesterday. I think I should just stay here and rest." She sighed, "As boring and useless as that sounds…"

Lowering his arms to his side in defeat, Ben resigned, "Oh alright. We'll just stay here."

"Thank you." Hinata replied in relief, reaching for her satchel to look inside it. "I wasn't able to salvage much food from the ship, mostly just some bread and a little bit of fruit; but even if I ration it this will only last a day tops." Sighing, she put the bag back to the ground. "I don't suppose you would know where I could find some food and water?"

Ben shook his head, "I don't have food in here, since you know… I'm a robot!" He laughed, but Hinata didn't seem amused. He cleared his mechanical throat. "I'm sure I could go find something." He placed his thin hand around his chin while he thought, before jumping up and exclaiming, "There should be some berries by the Hinack pond!" Rushing to the exit of the home he called behind him, "Off I go!"

"You don't have to go now." Hinata called after him, but with her voice was too weak for him to hear. She sighed and looked over at Jack beside her. "Do you want to go with him? You would probably like to get out."

Jack whimpered and softly licked Hinata's hand.

"I'll be fine I promise. I can't go anywhere." She assured him. He began to wag his tail and she motioned her head to the exit. "Go on, have fun."

He barked happily and licked her cheek before floating after Ben. After they were gone, Hinata leaned her head back against the wall she was leaning on. She sat in silence for a few minutes trying to relax but quickly became restless. Groaning, she slowly pulled herself to stand and did a quick scan of the room she was in. Across from her was a tattered drape hanging from a rope that reached from one end of the home to the other. With short movements she made her way to the drape and softly pushed it aside so she could get past.

"Wow…" She mumbled under her breath at the sight.

It was something akin to a hoard behind the curtain. Various knick-knacks were piled high and thick dust was caked over every piece. Taking a step forward into the mess Hinata arched an eyebrow.

"A chess set?" She asked, picking up a marbled pawn, creating a cloud of dust. "How did he get all this stuff?"

She placed the pawn back in its place while she shook her head, and looked over the rest of the mess. There were piles of wrinkled old clothes mixed in with a few dirty glass bottles, the bottles having a strong scent of alcohol wafting from inside. Turning to the left, Hinata saw a chipped and yellowed wooden table with a mirror on top, and a ripped stool in front of it. She paused for a moment when she saw the mirror; reluctant to sit down and see her face again. A pair of silver scissors along the top of the table caught her eye and she reached down to grab them. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and sat on the tattered stool before forcing herself to look at her reflection.

The bruises around her neck had only darkened and her already choppy hair was beginning to have an oily appearance. A lump was quickly forming in her throat, but she swallowed it down and inhaled deeply before holding up the scissors.

"I've never done anything like this before… I have no idea what I'm doing." She whispered, looking at her hair in the reflection. "It can't get any worse."

Trying to keep her hands from shaking, Hinata grabbed a clump of her hair and began using the scissors to cut off the frayed ends. Red frizzed strands fell around her as she continued. Due to her exhaustion she sliced several fingertips with the sharp scissors, each time drawing back her hand and sucking on the cuts. After a few more slices, she had finally finished. Taking the blades away she looked at the finished product in the mirror. It wasn't anywhere near perfect; but it was much better than her previous look from after the crash. Her hair barely reached her chin, but a few strands were still uneven and flipped outwards near the top of her head.

Sighing, Hinata resigned, "Well at least it looks better than before."

"We're back!" Ben's cheery voice echoed through the cave-like home. "And we bear gifts!"

"That was fast." Hinata commented, pulling back the curtain so she could see Ben and Jack enter the home. She glanced back at the table she sat at and caught sight of the piles of red hair. "Oh um… I cut my hair and made a mess. Do you have a broom around here?"

"Do not worry fair maiden!" Ben exclaimed as he rushed over and shoved a pile of blackened berries into Hinata's hands, then placed a bottle filled with water on the table. "I shall take care of the mess!"

"No don't worry Ben, I made the mess; I'll clean it up." Hinata objected, "It might just take me a while."

Ben wouldn't take no for an answer and shooed Hinata away. Sighing, Hinata followed his wishes and made her way back to the other side of the room next to her satchel. She slowly slid to the ground to sit and finally looked over the berries Ben had given to her. They were small and round like blueberries but were pitch black in color.

Holding one of them up, Hinata mumbled, "Are these nightshade berries?"

"Are they what-now?" Ben asked over the clamor he was making as he tried to clean Hinata's mess.

Shaking her head, she waved him off, "Oh, these just remind me of these berries Riku and I read about in a book once."

"You read a book with your imaginary friend?" Ben peeked through the curtain with a grin. "Oh I bet that was lovely!"

"Imaginary?" Hinata looked up from the berries in her hand.

"Yeah, he's the one you were talking about in your sleep." Ben commented, getting back to cleaning.

"Yeah, but he isn't…." Hinata began, before shaking her head, "You know, just forget it. I don't really need to explain." Looking back the berries she asked, "Are you sure these aren't poisonous Ben?"

"I didn't get any poison readings when I scanned them." He responded, "At least I don't think I did. You know, I can't remember! I lost my mind!" He laughed manically, causing Hinata and Jack to look at him slightly concerned.

Hinata sighed and mumbled over to Jack, "I just had to get stuck on a world with Mr. Crazy."

Jack wagged his tail and floated towards the berries in Hinata's hands, sniffing them.

"I don't think you should eat these." Hinata told him, looking him over. "Do you even need to eat? Like, where would it go?"

Jack looked up from the berries and licked Hinata's cheek before floating away to be by Ben. Hinata stared after him and pushed herself to stand; almost losing her balance as she tried to keep a hold on all of the berries in her arms. She walked over to Ben and spotted a blue cloth lying on top of a pile of wrinkled clothes.

"Can I use that cloth to store these berries?" Hinata asked Ben, getting his attention.

"What a great idea!" He happily agreed, grabbing the cloth and sending a cloud of dust into the air. Once Hinata grabbed the cloth from him, he pointed to a glass bottle on the once-white table. "We also got you some water!"

Hinata put the cloth on the top of the table and placed the berries in the center of the fabric. She then tied the corners of it together to create a makeshift satchel. She glanced up at the bottle of water and gulped to coat her dry throat. Holding the covered berries in one hand she picked up the bottle.

"As thirsty as I am, I should probably find a way to disinfect this first." She admitted, placing both of the items back onto the table and turning around. "Can I build a fire in here? Or should I try to climb outside?"

"Why would you need a fire?" Ben asked, rubbing his hands together as he was finished his so-called cleaning, which really only amounted to shoving the hair into random hidden spaces across the room.

"So I can boil the water and get rid of any germs or whatnot inside it." She informed him, running her tongue over her chapping lips. "And I need to do it soon. I'm getting really dehydrated."

Turning around, Ben grabbed an arm full of clothes and tossed it to the center of the room. "Alrighty then! There's the tinder!" He yelled before rummaging through the pile of things behind him. "And here's some matches!"

He rushed over to the clothes with the matchbox in hand and lit up a flame. Hinata watched the old clothes catch fire within seconds and smiled. "That was quick." She chuckled. "Thank you." She closed her eyes as the warmth hit her face and commented. "Where did you get all this stuff anyways? I thought you were the only thing here."

"I know! It's all stuff I just found lying around here! I'm pretty sure it's stuff the pirates left behind." Ben told her.

Picking up a stained metal bowl she found lying on the floor, Hinata brought it over to the fire and poured the water from inside the bottle into it. After several minutes of waiting the water had been boiled. Without letting it cool completely, Hinata impatiently guzzled most of it down. Catching her breath once the water had been drunk, she sat back and reached for her satchel to eat the rest of the food from the ship.

"You aren't going to eat the berries?" Ben asked, sitting down beside her.

Hinata looked up at the makeshift satchel on the table. "I'm just worried that they are toxic. They remind me of these really poisonous berries that kill you after taking one bite… but it's not like I have much of a choice of what to eat."

"You could try these!" Ben suggested, getting up from the floor and running to the far end of the room, where he dug into the ground. With a grunt he pulled out a light brown clump and ran back to Hinata. Kneeling in front of her he held out his hands to reveal a fat brown worm. "These are all over this planet! And look at how fat they are! Full of nutrients!"

Placing her hand over her mouth, Hinata fought back a gag. Swallowing hard, she responded, "Yeah… I'm not starving yet so I think I'll pass."

"Suit yourself!" He shrugged and gently placed the worm on the ground next to Hinata.

"Could you not put him down there?" Hinata's voice rose as she scooted away from the creature.

Ben swooped up the worm and brought it back to where he found it. He returned to Hinata with a pile of clothes in his hands. "I just got the best idea! You could use these to make a bed!" He told her excitedly.

Hinata smiled and pushed herself to stand. She grabbed the clothes from Ben and found a flat area of the floor and began laying them down. Once she was satisfied with the result she settled herself down and yawned. "Thanks Ben, I think this is great."

"You can always count on me ma'am!" Ben saluted before looking outside. "It's barely mid-afternoon, and you're going to bed?"

"I'm really tired." She defended. "Hopefully I won't have any nightmares this time."

Pulling a large shirt over her as a blanket she lay on her side and watched the flickering flames in the center of the room before eventually closing her eyes in slumber. Jack panted and floated besides Hinata before settling down beside her and falling asleep as well. Quiet hours passed while Ben kept watch over the fire as Hinata and Jack slept. The sun eventually bid farewell to the day, allowing the moon to begin to rise and shone its pale light into the rock-home. Strange calls from various unknown creatures echoed into the cave from outside, causing Hinata to stir.

She fluttered her eyes open and yawned, reluctantly sitting up with a stiff back. Rubbing her eyes, she looked over at the glowing fire as Ben tended to it. He sat in silence, watching the crackling sparks with a calmness that Hinata had never seen from him before. She pushed the shirt blanket off before standing up and making her way to him. Sitting next to him, she brought her knees to her chest.

"Have you really been alone for a hundred years?" She asked without looking over.

Ben slowly nodded and sighed. "Yeah, it's been a long time."

"How did you do it?" She asked, staring at the burning embers in the charred remains of the clothes. "I mean, you haven't had anyone to talk to… No wonder you lost your mind."

"Well I literally lost it." Ben corrected, with a laugh. "It's my missing piece remember?"

Hinata smirked, "Yeah, maybe it's somewhere around here." She glanced over at him. "Did you use to have any friends before you got stuck here?"

Ben's mechanical eyes turned blue as he blinked them rapidly. "You know, I don't remember."

Silence reigned between them for a moment before Hinata whispered. "I'm sorry…"

"Nah it's alright!" Ben grinned, returning to his cheery self. "What about you? Any friends?"

Hinata's face lit up as she spoke. "Yeah actually; I have three friends that I used to spend a lot of time with." She was about to continue when a low rumble interrupted. Looking down, Hinata placed her hand on her stomach and uncomfortably chuckled, "I must be hungry."

Ben jumped up and grabbed the satchel of berries. "Then here you are!" He said, plopping the bag next to Hinata. "A berry buffet!"

With a strained smile, Hinata untied the ends of the satchel and pulled away the cloth to reveal the black berries piled in front of her. Picking up a single berry she examined it and commented, "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this… Well, it's not like I have much to lose."

Reluctantly, she placed the berry inside her mouth and bit down. A bitter juice coated her mouth, causing her to make a contorted expression from the taste. Forcing herself to swallow it down, she stuck out her tongue.

"Well?" Ben asked. "What's the verdict?"

"It tastes bitter." Hinata told him, picking up a few more berries. "But I'm still alive, so that's a good thing." She laughed, putting the berries in her mouth.

She absently watched the flames, lost in thought, as she snacked on the berries; but then she noticed the usual orange flames began to glow a bright blue.

"Now that's strange." She whispered, knitting her eyebrows in confusion.

"What is?" A familiar voice asked beside her.

Whipping her head around, Hinata was startled when she saw Riku sitting next to her. "Riku? Wh-what are you doing here?" She placed her hand on her forehead. "Oh man, did I fall asleep? Am I dreaming?"

Riku laughed, leaning back on the palms of his hands. "You aren't dreaming; you're hallucinating."

As he talked, strange lights and shapes began surrounding him. Hinata stared wide-eyed at everything happening in front of her. "Hallucinating? How?" she asked before face-palming. "Oh great, it was those berries wasn't it?"

"Yep." He responded. "And you just ate a whole bunch of them."

"You aren't talking like Riku." Hinata pointed out.

"Well I am just a figment of your imagination." He shrugged.

"At least you aren't like the Riku in my dreams recently." She sighed.

"Who are you talking to, Hinata?" Ben asked.

Hinata turned around to look at Ben and rapidly blinked her eyes when all of the strange lights were gone. "Oh um… Riku."

"Oh that imaginary friend?" Ben asked excitedly before rushing to Hinata's side. "I want to meet him!"

"There's a real Riku." Hinata told him. "The one I'm talking to is a hallucination. I think those berries are messing with my head."

"That would make sense." Ben nodded.

"What do you mean?" She asked, rubbing her eyes as the bright lights returned.

"Spores from the mushroom-trees fall all over the planet!" He told her excitedly. "I wondered if you would have a reaction."

"And you are just now telling me this?" Hinata raised her voice and glared at him.

"Calm down Hinata." Riku spoke up. "You didn't wash them off before you ate them, so it's really your fault."

Hinata held her arm out behind her, "Just… be quiet Riku. You aren't helping."

"What did he say?" Ben asked.

"It's not important!" Hinata said exasperated. "How do I get this out of my system?"

"I have no idea!" Ben exclaimed. "Maybe I'll go get you some more water!"

He grabbed a glass bottle and rushed out of the home before Hinata could respond. She repeatedly blinked her eyes as her surroundings kept becoming more and more distorted.

Grabbing the sides of her head, she tightly closed her eyes and began to panic. "I don't know what to do!"

"It's alright." Riku's voice rang through her, "Just talk to me."

Hinata reluctantly opened her eyes and looked up to see Riku kneeling in front of her with a small smile on his face. The bright lights and distorted background surrounded him while he was in her center of vision. In the distance, Hinata could hear Jack's muffled bark; but she didn't know where he was. Lifting her hand, Hinata reached up to touch Riku's cheek; however, she frowned when she went straight through him.

"I'm not really here." He told her sadly.

"I know…" She admitted. "I was just trying to make sure." She looked into his eyes as her cheeks dusted a light rose. "It's good to see you again; even if you aren't really here."

He smiled back. "Yeah; but we don't have too long. The effects shouldn't last long."

"How do you know?" She asked.

"'Cause I'm smart." He smirked.

Hinata laughed, "Alright fine Mr. Subconscious, keep your secrets." She winced as her vision distorted even further, causing her head to pound.

"Hey, just focus on me." Riku ordered her softly. "Keep looking at me. Everything else will fade."

Taking a deep breath, Hinata looked back at Riku, forcing a smile.

"What do you want to talk about until Ben gets back?" He asked with a sincere smile.

"I don't know…" Hinata admitted, "It a little strange knowing that I'm basically just talking to myself."

Riku chuckled, "Pretend I'm the real Riku. What do you want to talk to him about?"

Hinata shrugged, "Everything I want to talk to him about are things my subconscious wouldn't know the answer to."

"You look beautiful." He noted, picking his own subject.

Hinata scoffed, "Now I know that's not true. I saw myself in the mirror earlier; I'm glad you aren't really Riku. I would hate for him to see me like this."

"No I mean it." He laughed, "The short hair suits you."

Tugging lightly on the end of her hair, Hinata blushed. "Thanks… I hope the real you feels the same way."

"I will." He assured her.

Hinata smiled and nodded, "Alright, I'll play along." Thinking for a moment she asked, "Do you remember our first date?"

"Of course I do! You looked amazing." He grinned.

Her cheeks darkened before she groaned, "I feel flattered, but I'm the one complimenting myself! Ugh, this is just weird."

They continued chatting with each other until Ben came back with the glass bottle of water. He purified the water as Hinata laughed along to a story Riku was telling her; but Ben only heard Hinata's side of it. Sitting beside her once the water was ready, he handed her the bottle and a cloth filled with leaves and long thin red fruits.

"I found these when I got the water!" He told her. "I washed them off in the water too, so they won't have mushroom spawn!"

"Mushroom spawn?" Riku repeated with a chuckle.

"Yeah, he says some strange stuff sometimes," Hinata laughed.

"What, who does?" Ben asked.

"You do." Hinata smiled, the bright lights were beginning to dim down and the fire was returning to its orange state. "Thank you for going out to get this stuff for me. Once I'm recovered from the crash and everything, I'll make sure to help out around here."

Ben tapped one of his metal fingers on his chin and asked, "Is it just me or do you seem happier?"

Hinata shrugged as she took a drink of the water and then smiled over at Riku. "It's nice having someone to talk to; someone that you care a lot about."

"You have feelings for an imaginary friend?" Ben asked in shock. "Is that even possible?"

Riku let out a laugh while Hinata face-palmed. "Ben, I've told you before; there is a real Riku. This one is just a hallucination, but there is a real Riku out there who I care for very much!"

Her cheeks darkened as she smiled at Riku in front of her, but scowled when she noticed he was beginning to fade away.

"What's happening?" She asked with her voice slightly shaking.

"I told you the effects wouldn't last long." Riku gave her an apologetic look.

"Wait, but I really liked having you around again." Hinata pleaded, before looking over at the pile of berries still lying next to her. "I'll just eat some more of these."

"Hinata don't." He told her sternly. "Who knows the long term effects of eating too many of those things."

"But…" She pleaded, watching him slowly fade away. "I don't want to be without you; even if you aren't the real Riku."

"I'm on it, Riku!" Ben exclaimed, grabbing the cloth with the berries and tossing it into the fire.

"What? Why did you just do that?" Hinata shouted with tears stinging the corners of her eyes.

"From what you were saying it sounded like Riku didn't want you eating any more berries." Ben told her wiping his hands together.

"Yeah but…" Hinata sighed before looking back at Riku but he was barely visible. "Riku I… I don't want to be alone."

"I know," He told her with a sweet smile. "You won't be."

Wiping tears from her eyes, Hinata looked over at Ben. "I'm sorry I yelled. You were doing the right thing."

The rest of the night passed uneventfully; as did the following two weeks as Hinata healed and regained her strength.

Over the top of the mushroom forest, the sun's rays stretched over the swampy planet. Bright streaks of light entered the cave-like home, causing Hinata to stir from her slumber. She rapidly blinked her eyes open before immediately squinting them due to the blinding light that greeted her. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw that a new day had begun. Stretching her stiff muscles, she easily stood up and climbed out of the cave to grab some wood for the fire. She hadn't yet gone farther than the tree line of the mushroom forest; but getting out of the cave was a nice change of pace. The warmth of the sun hit her face as she walked through the grassy field. Hearing a bark behind her, Hinata turned to see Jack floating up to her.

"I can't tell you how nice it is to be up and about again." She beamed. "It's been torture being cooped up in there."

Jack barked happily as he floated higher into the sky causing Hinata to laugh.

"I wish I could do that!" She commented. "You can fly wherever you want." When Jack came back to her level, she bent down to grab some pieces of wood on the ground and informed him. "I was thinking that I might try to explore that machinery inside the planet today." When Jack cocked his head to the side she clarified, "You know the stuff that's under those weird metal spheres in Ben's home."

Jack's ears perked up and he wagged his tail, causing Hinata to chuckle.

"I take it you want to come along then." She smiled. "Well alright, let's do it! I'll pack up some water and food when we get back to Ben's house, then we can get going."

With a cool breeze brushing past them, they made their way back to the rock-home and climbed back inside. Hinata placed the wood on the floor and began grabbing items to pack into her bag. Ben was sitting on top of a barrel playing chess with himself.

"How's the game going?" Hinata glanced over as she packed.

"I haven't the slightest idea!" Ben laughed. "I don't know how to play! I used to… or at least I think I did."

Hinata chuckled, "Tell you what, I'll teach you how to play tonight." Looking over at Jack, who was already floating by the sphere waiting for her, she informed Ben, "Jack and I were thinking of exploring the machinery layers. Did you want to tag along?"

Ben shook his head, "Nah, I'm in the middle of something."

"Oh really?" Hinata chuckled and crossed her arms before shrugging. "Alright then, have fun doing whatever it is you're doing."

Ben waved her off impatiently, focused intently on his game; and Hinata shook her head with a smile. She flung her satchel over her shoulder and walked over to the sphere on the other end of the room. Placing both of her hands on the side of the mossy metal she pushed against it. She groaned as it creaked and slowly began to move. With one more push the sphere rolled over to reveal the opening that led into the deep corridors of machinery.

Hinata rubbed her hands together to get the moss off before carefully climbing in through the small entrance. With a loud clang she landed on a metal grated floor, the sound echoing through the long halls. A burnt orange light filled the area as small blinking lights of various colors spotted the machines. The machinery was lined against the walls but Hinata hadn't the slightest idea what their function was supposed to be. Wires protruded from the walls as well as the occasional spark. Hinata readjusted the satchel on her shoulder before smiling up at Jack.

"Well, forward I guess." She shrugged, beginning to walk along the grated floor.

They walked for hours, going to different levels of the machinery but every level was nearly identical to the last; miles upon miles of wires and beeping machines with seemingly no purpose. Coming to a stop, Hinata leaned forward and placed her hands against her knees, trying to catch her breath.

Her breath returned to normal and Hinata glanced at the wall next to her. Standing back up straight she mused, "There has to be some use to all this. I wonder what it's here for."

Jack barked, causing Hinata to look up. He was floating up a level by a large sphere on the ceiling, similar to the one in Ben's home.

Beginning to make her way to him, Hinata asked, "We haven't made it back to the cave have we?"

She climbed a ladder to reach the level Jack was at and pulled herself onto the metal floor. Walking forward, she placed both her hands against the sphere and braced herself before pushing against it. It was harder to move than the one she had pushed earlier. With a grunt, she gave one last shove and it gave a loud creak before rolling away. A ray of bright sunlight beamed through the opening it revealed.

Shielding her eyes, Hinata said, "This must lead to a different part of the planet." She looked around the mechanical halls. "This must be like an underground road to reach different areas of the planet. If you know your way around, this would be much faster than walking on the land." She smiled at Jack. "That's pretty cool!"

Reaching up her hands, she grabbed the edge of the opening and pulled herself out into the planet above. She grasped at the bright green grass, using it to hoist herself out of the mechanical underworld. The bright sunlight warmed her cool skin and caused Hinata to shield her eyes until they adjusted. After a few seconds she slowly placed her hand back down to her side and gasped at the sight before her. She stood in a large meadow blanketed with yellow-green grass that stretched as far as her and Jack could see. Across the way, a river with sparkling water flowed between ranges of towering blue-mountains in the distance. A herd of animals caught their attention. The creatures had two sharp horns protruded from their narrow orange heads and a black and white stripe went down their backs, starting from their head going through a big fluffy white mane and down their back. Their large furry hind legs allowed them to leap like kangaroos as they made their way across the field.

"This is… breathtaking." Hinata said. "Oh I wish Riku could see this."

Taking a few steps forward to find a good spot, Hinata sat down on the plush grass and opened her satchel to grab her journal. Opening it to a blank page she clicked her pen and began to sketch the scene in front of her. Jack floated to the ground beside her and watched her draw.

"I'm awful at drawing." Hinata told him with a chuckle as she looked over the crooked lines of her supposed interpretation of a mountain. "But whenever I see our friends again I want to give them some idea of how this looked." She looked back at the scene before them. "I can't believe this is still the same planet. This is so different from where we landed."

Finishing her drawing, she closed the journal and placed it back in her satchel. She took a drink of water before standing and placing the bag back onto her shoulder. Jack licked her shoulder and she reached over and patted his head. Looking over the meadow she pointed to the river in the distance.

"Let's head to that river. It would be nice to actually properly get clean rather than pouring bottles of water over my head." She laughed and shook her head at the memories.

Jack barked happily, floating beside Hinata as they began making their way across the meadow to the river. They avoided running into the herd of strange creatures and eventually approached the river.

The water was surprisingly clear and the sun reflected brilliantly off its surface. Looking into the water, no fish were visible, but Hinata did spot a strange looking creature along its edge. Kneeling down, Hinata examined the small creature. It was black with a round body with a long tail coming off the side.

"These must be the Hinacks Ben told me about a couple weeks ago." She noted to Jack. "They look like tadpoles." She looked up and scanned the edge of the river. "But I don't see any frogs. I wonder what these things are."

She was about to stand when she noticed a plant to the side of her. It was similar to a vine, twisting its green stem and large leaves through the river and rocks; but the thing that caught Hinata's eye were the black berries growing in small pods underneath the leaves. She glanced behind her at Jack and saw that he was staring at the herd of animals that were off in the distance. Turning back to the plant in front of her, she reached out with a shaking hand, pausing when she was inches away from the berries.

"Maybe I shouldn't…" She whispered to herself, but then shook her head. "I won't go overboard. I just want to see him again."

She grabbed one of the pods of berries and brought it towards her. Picking up one of the berries she stared at it for a moment before placing it in her mouth and biting down; the bitter juice making her contort her face. She waited after she swallowed, but when nothing immediately happened she sighed. She grabbed a few more pods of the berries and placed them inside her satchel. Closing it, she faced the water and began washing off her dusty skin and hair.

"You shouldn't have eaten that." Riku scolded her, causing Hinata to spin around.

Despite the scowl on his face, Hinata grinned with water glistening on her skin. "You're here! I was worried it wasn't going to work if I only ate one." She wiped her face off with a cloth in her satchel and stood to face him; her grin slowly diminishing as he continued to glare. "Riku…" she started.

"Who knows what that stuff does to your mind?" He admonished, crossing his arms.

"It was just one berry Riku!" She defended. "Besides, I really wanted to see you again."

His expression softened and he walked up to be right in front of her. He reached out for her hands, even though it was impossible for them to touch. "Hinata, I don't want anything to happen to you. How are you supposed to get back to perfect health if you continue eating those things?"

Hinata looked over at the blue mountain towering over them as she responded. "I'm almost back to perfect health. I mean look at me; I made it here. I wouldn't have been able to do that a few weeks ago."

"I'm not talking physically." Riku interceded. "What about your mental state?"

She scoffed, "What, do you think I'm going crazy?"

"No, but you are having nightmares. You wake up screaming." He reminded her with concern.

Hinata shivered at the mention of the nightmares, before admitting. "I don't have them every night… thankfully." She looked back into his eyes. "Besides, wouldn't talking with you help me through that? Most of the nightmares are about you."

Riku's eyes narrowed, correcting, "That Riku wasn't me. Xehanort was in control."

"He still had your face!" Hinata pointed out, looking away and wrapping her arms around herself. "I know it wasn't really you… But I had your handprints bruised on my throat and I still remember your eyes glaring into me while you…" Tears welled up in her eyes as she choked on the last word. Breaking down, she planted her face in her hands; her shoulders heaving while Riku watched helpless. In between sobs she told him. "How do you think I am supposed to get over that? I want to see the real you so badly, but I'm also afraid I won't be able to let you touch me again. I would be so worried that Xehanort would still be there, just waiting."

"I would never do that Hinata." Riku assured her.

"How can I take your word for that? You aren't even real!" Hinata looked up at him with reddened eyes. "I don't even know if the real you is still alive anymore. For all I know, after he saved me Xehanort could have completely taken him over." As the words left her mouth, her knees buckled and she knelt onto the grass. "You could be all I'll ever have left of him." She looked up as Riku got down to her level. Then she admitted, "Maybe you're right. I am losing my mind. I have no idea how to feel about you or the real Riku. I keep hoping that I'll just run into him and everything will be like it was back on the islands but… there's no way that's going to happen."

Riku looked into her sullen golden eyes and asked, "What does your heart say?"

She looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You have a strong connection with your friends; a chain of memories in your hearts that keeps all of you connected." He told her with a small smile. "Riku, your sister, and Sora are all a part of you."

Hinata closed her eyes and placed her hand on her heart. After a few silent moments she opened her eyes and said. "I feel like they are still alive… I know they are." She looked up at him. "How did you know all that?"

"I'm a part of you." Riku told her with a smirk. "Your subconscious knows things about you that even you don't realize you know."

"I wish you were here so I could give you a hug." Hinata laughed as more tears fell down her freshly cleaned cheeks.

Riku chuckled, "I thought you didn't want the real me touching you anymore."

Hinata shrugged and scoffed. "Right now my heart says differently." She smiled at him, but then noticed that he was beginning to fade. "You're already leaving?"

"The effects aren't as powerful since you only ate one berry." He informed her. "You didn't have the distorted vision this time and the hallucination doesn't last as long."

"Oh…" She sighed. "I don't suppose I could eat another one."

"Hinata, please, don't eat another one." He pleaded, slowly fading. "You have to make it through this without me."

Choking back a tear, Hinata asked, "But what if I can't? What if I'm stuck here forever?"

"You can do this." He told her with a sincere smile. "I know you will find a way off this planet; but please, for me, don't eat another one of those berries. You'll see the real me again; someday soon, I promise."

Hinata shook her head, "But how can you be so sure?" She looked back in front of her at Riku, but he had faded away and Jack lay where he was in his stead. Wiping the tears from her face, Hinata smiled down at Jack as he looked worriedly up at her with his ears flat on his back. "I'm fine, Jack, I promise."

She opened her bag and looked at the pile of berries sitting inside. Reaching in, she grabbed a handful of them and tossed them into the river. She went in to grab the last few but stopped short. Looking down at the floating berries that flowed with the current, she closed her bag and stood, turning to face the field.

"Well Jack; what do you say to calling it a day?" She looked down at her dog. "We can come back tomorrow if you want or maybe we could explore a different part."

He slowly lifted his ears and began wagging his tail before floating up ahead of Hinata. She readjusted her satchel and glanced down at it before heading off after Jack. They walked through the grassy field as the sun began setting between the bright blue-mountains behind them, casting a blueish hue to the area. Reaching the metal sphere, Hinata took off her satchel and tossed it down onto the metal flooring of the mechanical halls before lowering herself into the opening. As she was hanging down from the grassy field into the dimly lit walkways there was a loud bang, followed swiftly by the ground creaking and shaking in response. Hinata gripped the loose grass but the violent tremors around her caused her to lose her grip. With a light yelp she fell and hit her back on a metal pole fence that lined the walkways. Grasping her side with a grimace, she lowered herself to the ground and waited for the vibrations in the world to pass. As quickly as it began, it ended. The world was back to its peaceful calm state as if nothing out of the ordinary had ever occurred.

Hinata pulled herself up to stand, stretching her sore back before asking, "What in the world was that? There were never any earthquakes the other days we were here." Jack whimpered and licked her cheek, causing Hinata to giggle. "I'm fine Jack, just a slight bruising. I'll be alright." Looking around the area, everything seemed to be back to normal, so Hinata shrugged, "Alright then, let's get moving. We can probably be back at the cave in a couple hours if we don't stop to rest."

Jack nodded his bony head and floated on ahead of Hinata to find the right way back to their cave. The walk back was uneventful and they reached their destination in a little over two hours. Reaching the metal sphere that led inside their home, Hinata reached up and pulled herself inside. Once both her and Jack were in she pushed the sphere back to its normal place. Rubbing her hands together to shake off the dust, she took a few steps into the darkened cave. The fire in the center of the room was reduced to glowing embers and Ben was nowhere to be seen.

Hinata groaned, "Oh man, the fire died." She coughed and waved her hands in front of her face as dark smoke billowed from the pile of ash.

Walking over to Ben's stash of trinkets she grabbed a wooden bucket and filled it with the ash from the dying fire. She walked to the exit of the cave and dumped the ash outside before making her way back to the pile and repeating the process until the room was cleared.

She placed the bucket down where it belonged before grabbing a glass bottle of water from her satchel and taking a drink. Then she said, "I wonder where Ben went off to. It's getting dark, he doesn't usually stay out." She glanced over at Jack and shrugged before placing the bottle back in her bag.

She walked over to her makeshift bed made of the wrinkled clothes and plopped her satchel on top; then she heard footsteps approaching. A smile crept on her face as she walked to the entrance of the cave and spotted Ben running up. With a smirk she called out "I was wondering where you were."

She heard a young man's voice yelling behind Ben and widened her eyes, looking up beyond Ben she saw a teen boy trailing behind. Without thinking she jumped out of the cave and slid down the vines until she reached the grassy ground. She broke into a sprint and felt a grin appear on her face.

"There's another person here?" The boy yelled in surprise, his blue eyes widening as he saw Hinata approaching.

Hinata reached Ben and slowed to a stop. She grinned at the young man while trying to regain her breath. Raising her hand she gave him a small wave. "Hi, I'm Hinata. I can't believe you're here!"

"Uh… I'm Jim. Jim Hawkins." He replied, eyeing her over while he rubbed the back of his brown hair. "What are you doing on Treasure Planet?"

"Treasure what?" Hinata straightened and knitted her eyebrows in confusion.

Jim shook his head, "No time for that right now, I need to find shelter from some pirates."

"Pirates?" Hinata repeated, glancing over at Jack who was floating beside her.

"Yeah! And I offered him my cave!" Ben exclaimed happily, before smacking his hands over his mouth, "Oopsie, I'm supposed to stay quiet." He sheepishly smiled before continuing to walk towards his home. With a loud whisper he told them. "This way!"

Jim and Hinata glanced at each other before following after Ben. They were silent for a moment but then both spoke at the same time.

"You're running from pirates?" Hinata asked over Jim.

"How are you even here?" Jim asked over her.

Jim stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants and quickly looked away as if something heavy was on his mind. "Never mind, just forget it."

Hinata stared at him for a moment before answering. "My ship crashed here a few weeks ago. I have no idea where I am… well except for what Ben told me." She rolled her eyes, "He said it was called Bentopia."

A small snicker escaped Jim's lips before he cleared his throat. "Your ship crashed? What were you doing all the way out here? There aren't any other planets around here."

"It's a really long story." Hinata sighed. "So what about those pirates; were you a stowaway or something?"

Jim scoffed, "No… they were supposed to be my shipmates; but then they mutinied and tried to steal the map to this planet." He shrugged, "I'm off finding shelter for an injured captain and my mom's friend." Rubbing the bridge of his nose he groaned, "Things haven't exactly been going to plan."

"Sounds like the story of my life." Hinata commented before asking. "Did you call this place Treasure Planet?"

"Have you never heard the stories?" He asked looking over at her, and when she just gave him a confused look he went slack-jaw. "Seriously; the story of Captain Flint's trove, the loot of a thousand worlds, you've never heard about it?"

"I'm not really from around here." She admitted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"I'll say." Jim sighed. "That's like the most well-known story in the galaxy."

"The loot of a thousand worlds…" Hinata repeated under her breath. "That would be quite the sight."

"I'm hoping so." Jim mumbled.

Jack nudged Hinata's shoulder and she smiled. "Oh right, this is my dog Jack."

Jim glanced over at Jack and a small smile appeared on his tired face. "That's a dog? Cool."

With his tail wagging, Jack floated over to Jim and sniffed his face before licking him on the cheek. Jim let out a short laugh and patted Jack on the head. A chirping sound could be heard coming from Jim's pocket as he gave Jack attention. Jack heard the sound and immediately floated down to Jim's pocket with a slight growl.

Another chirp came from his pocket before a small pink blob floated out of it. Jack barked and backed away with his ears flat against his head. The blob stared at Jack with two large eyes and moved towards him with small dots of its body floating close behind. It approached Jack and with a spin turned into an exact copy of Jack, only half his size.

Hinata widened her eyes at the sight. "What is that thing?"

"Morph." Jim told her with a slight smile in his voice; before scowling, "He got us into trouble earlier."

Morph left Jack and floated to be in front of Hinata's face. She smiled at the critter in front of her and lifted her hand to touch him. The moment she did he transformed into a miniature version of her.

"That's amazing." Hinata whispered.

In response, Morph turned back into his original blobby form and rubbed up against Hinata's cheek, causing her to giggle. Jack barked and floated to Hinata with a whimper when he saw the attention Morph was getting.

"Oh don't worry Jack, no one could replace you." Hinata assured him with a smile.

They reached the edge of the vines and began climbing their way up. Once inside, Jim looked over the area.

With a nod he turned to leave. "This place is perfect; I have to go get Doc and the Captain. I'll be back."

Before Ben or Hinata could stop him he jumped out of the cave and began running off to retrieve his crewmates. Hinata walked to the edge of the entrance and watched as Jim ran.

"I can't believe it." She muttered under her breath. "Another human…" She smiled, "Maybe I found a way off this planet after all."


	4. Pirates

Chapter 4

The setting sun cast a reddened hue over the field surrounding the cave structure. Hinata watched from the entrance as Jim came out of the brush, followed by two individuals. Jack floated down to greet them as they approached, but Hinata stayed where she was and examined the travelers. One of them had the appearance of a humanoid dog with long brown ears and a large nose. In its arms was the other figure, seemingly unconscious, that had the appearance of a long and slender cat-woman. They reached the base of the cave and began to slowly climb up. Jim helped the dog-man carry the woman up the vines.

"Do you need some help?" Hinata asked, preparing to jump out of the cave.

"No it's fine." Jim told her shortly. "We've got it."

"Oh, alright," Hinata shrugged, giving a small smile to the dog-man when he glanced up at her.

"Hello," The man asked, getting inside the cave. "I didn't realize there were other lifeforms here. Who might you be?"

Hinata stepped out of the way as the man walked past her to set the cat-woman down. Rubbing the back of her neck she introduced herself. "I'm Hinata. I'm not actually from here, my ship crashed here a few weeks ago."

Before the man could respond, Ben butted in. "Uh. Pardon the mess people. You'd think in a hundred years l would've dusted a little more often... but, you know, when you're batchin' it you tend to, uh, let things go." He tipped over the chess set on top of the wooden barrel, causing a loud thud to echo through the cave. He caught sight of the man gently placing the cat-woman on the ground against one of the metal spheres and began rummaging through his pile behind the curtain while exclaiming. "Aw, isn't that sweet? l find old-fashioned romance so touching, don't you? How about drinks for the happy couple?" With a grin he turned around holding a platter with two goblets filled with bubbling oil.

The man cleared his throat. "Oh, uh, ooh. Uh, no. Thank you, we don't drink... and, uh, we're not a couple." He took off his dark red jacket and folded it into a pillow for the woman as he smiled at her. There was a moment of silence in the room until he shook his head and continued. "Ahem. Look at these markings. They're identical to the ones on the map. l suspect these are the hieroglyphic remnants... of an ancient culture."

Hinata looked up as the man pointed to the walls of the cave. Engravings of strange symbols covered the ceiling of the cave, but Hinata had never paid it any mind. She looked over at the entrance of the cave where Jim was solemnly staring outside; when the cat-woman spoke up.

"Mr. Hawkins," She grimaced, her orange ears flat on her head. "Stop anyone who tries to approach. Ohh!" Her eyes widened and she grabbed her side.

The dog-man began scolding the woman but Hinata paid no mind as Ben sped past her to look outside. She walked up beside him to get a quiet word in.

"Do you know how they got here?" Hinata whispered to him. "Do they still have a working ship?"

Ben ignored Hinata's inquiry and suddenly began jumping up and down, pointing out of the cave and yelling. "Hey. look! There's some more of your buddies! Hey, fellas! We're over here, fellas!"

"Ben, what are you doing?!" Hinata whispered harshly before ducking for cover when bright beams of lasers began barraging the cave.

Jim grabbed a gun out of his pocket and rushed to the entrance. He yanked Ben away from the weapon fire and began firing his own lasers back at the assailants.

Hinata looked at the weapon in Jim's hands with a confused look, and asked over the sound of the gun-fire. "What is that thing?"

"Stop wastin' your fire!" A male voice roared over the chaos, immediately ceasing the violence. "Hello, up there!" He called once everything had settled down. "Jimbo? lf it's all right with the captain... l'd like a short word with ya. No tricks, just a little palaver."

Inching towards the opening of the cave, Hinata peeked outside to see a large man who seemed to be half made of metal. He stood in the field waving a tiny white flag with a seemingly sincere smile on his face.

"Come to bargain for the map, doubtless." The cat-woman hissed before wincing.

"Captain…" The dog-man gave her a warning look.

"That means...that he thinks we still have it." Jim knelt down and smirked.

"I'm a little lost here." Hinata pointed out, half-raising her hand.

"I'm going to talk to him." Jim stood and walked up to Hinata, handing her the gun. "Do you know how to fire this?"

Hinata took the object and examined it before admitting. "I don't even know what this is."

Jim sighed and spun to look at the dog-man, "Doc, can you take watch?"

He shook his head. "Sorry Jim, I need to stay by the captain's side. Hinata, I believe that's her name, will have to do it."

Shaking his head, Jim grabbed the weapon from Hinata and told her. "This is a plasma pistol." He gripped his hand around the brown handle of the gun and showed her how to properly hold it. "It's already charged up, so all you have to do is pull on the trigger and it will shoot."

Hinata listened intently before nodding and reaching forward for the weapon. "Point and shoot; sounds easy enough."

Jim held the gun tightly when Hinata placed her hand on it and waited for her to look up at him. "Keep watch while I talk to Silver. If things turn sour I want you to fire this at him. Got it?"

Her eyes widened before she reluctantly nodded. "Yeah, I understand."

Releasing his hold on the gun, Jim turned to the captain and the doctor. "I'll be back." He looked back at Hinata before heading out of the cave to meet the man waiting for him.

Hinata stood against the wall near the entrance where she had a good view of the outside while still staying out of sight. As she watched Jim make his way down the vines to the ground she asked the doctor. "So what's going on? Who are you guys?"

"I am Doctor Delbert Doppler." The dog-man spoke up without looking away from the cat-woman. "And this is our Captain."

"Captain Amelia, if you please." She spoke up in a weak voice.

Hinata glanced back at the pair with a smile before looking back outside. "It's nice to see actual people here. I was afraid I would be stuck here alone."

"You mentioned your ship crashed." Doctor Doppler replied. "Were you also in search of the treasure?"

"No, I had no idea it was even here." She admitted. "I… I'm not sure how I got here. One minute I was on another planet and the next I wake up to my ship crashing." She noticed Jim had begun talking to the man outside. "So… is that guy one of the pirates? Jim mentioned something about them."

"They mutinied." He told her with a sigh. "Jim and I stumbled upon a map that led to this planet. I took the rare opportunity, assembled a crew, and found a ship to take us here." He looked down, saddened. "I was so caught up in the excitement of it all I didn't even bother to fully check the backgrounds of the crew. I can't help but feel that this whole situation is my own doing."

"Don't blame yourself Doctor." Captain Amelia told him weakly, causing him to smile at her.

"How are you guys getting off this planet?" Hinata asked.

"Right now, the most important task is staying alive." Doctor Doppler told her.

"How is he doing out there?" Ben interrupted. He stood at the entrance of the cave with the tips of his fingers to his mouth while his eyes were glued to Jim.

"They are just talking right now." Hinata noted when she noticed the larger man scowl. "Actually, something's wrong." She tightly gripped the gun in her hands as her heart drummed in her ears.

"That treasure is owed me, by thunder!" The man's voiced boomed, echoing through the cave.

Jim stood undeterred and yelled back, "Well try to find it without my map, by thunder!"

"That doesn't sound like it's going well." Doppler commented under his breath.

"But I thought you guys didn't have the map." Hinata knitted her eyebrows in confusion, pointing the gun towards the man outside in case things got more heated.

"They don't know that." Ben pointed out. "Oh Jimmy is just so smart!"

Hinata frowned as she continued to watch Jim and the man argue. The man began to yell again, but only the last half of his sentence could be heard from the cave. "…to blast you all to kingdom come!"

He glared at Jim before turning around and stomping away. Jim watched him leave before heading back to the cave. Hinata sighed in relief and brought the gun back down to her side. She watched Jim climb back up the vines into the cave, and spotted Morph cowering on his shoulder.

Hinata reached down and helped him inside, saying, "That didn't seem to go well."

Jim shrugged once he was inside, "Yeah, but they still think we have the map." He turned and looked at the small glowing fire at the edge of the field that led into the forest. "I don't know what our next step should be though."

Once he seemed settled, Hinata held out his gun for him to take. Jim took it and placed it into his belt before asking. "You've never held a gun before?"

"No, where I come from we have swords and crossbows." She admitted, looking at the gold and brown weapon in Jim's belt. "I didn't even know things like that existed."

"Exactly where are you from, Hinata?" Doppler had stood up from his spot once he noticed Captain Amelia was asleep. "There are not many worlds in this galaxy that have no knowledge of this techno, techan, technologically advanced weapon."

She avoided their gaze and absently examined the engravings on the walls before answering. "My actual home is gone… But I want to get back to Hollow Bastion."

Jim and the Doctor exchanged confused looks.

"I've never heard of it." Jim shrugged, before looking back outside.

"Neither have I; and that's rather peculiar given my knowledge in astronomy." Doppler crossed his arms and approached Hinata. "Are you certain the world didn't go by another name?"

Hinata shrugged, "Not that I know of. But I don't have to go there. I could also go to Atlantica or Agrabah. Heck, even Wonderland would work."

Jim turned his head and gave Hinata a confused look as Doctor Doppler spoke up. "Hinata, this might be hard to hear, but I think you're somehow from another galaxy."

"What?" She widened her eyes and shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"I have a PhD in astrophysics," He began to explain. "I know the name of every planet in this galaxy and none of those names you just shared are ones I am familiar with."

"But I don't understand." Hinata's voice shook. "How is that even possible?"

"It's not." Jim scoffed. "You might just be going crazy from being here alone." He motioned his head towards Ben. "It happened to him."

"Ah, it's a missing piece." Ben pointed out. "You should see Hinata's ship!"

"What has that got to do with anything?" Jim asked exasperated. "Why are we even talking about this? We need to figure out a way to get out of here!" The room fell silent and he leaned his head against the wall muttering, "Sorry, I didn't mean that. It's just… been a long day."

Hinata walked up beside Jim and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's fine, I know how you feel. I'll do what I can to help you guys."

Jim lifted his head and looked over at Hinata. He gave her a half smile before turning around and motioning his head towards the captain. "How's she doing Doc?"

Doppler knelt down beside Captain Amelia and sighed. "I have to be honest Jim, I don't know. I feel so useless." He stared at Amelia with a saddened look on his face and startled when she began to stir.

"Gentlemen…" She barely opened her eyes whispering. "We must stay together… and… ooh." Her green eyes began to roll back into her head.

Doctor Doppler began to panic. "And what? What?" Taking off small reading glasses that were propped on his nose he exclaimed. "We must stay together and what?"

Amelia blinked her eyes back open and smiled sleepily at Doppler. "Doctor," She whispered sweetly. "You have the most wonderful eyes…" As the words left her mouth she fell out of consciousness.

"She's lost her mind!" Doctor Doppler cried looking over at Hinata and Jim.

"Well you've gotta help her!" Jim told him, taking a few steps forward.

"Dang it, Jim; l'm an astronomer, not a doctor. l mean, l am a doctor, but l'm not that kind of doctor. l have a doctorate, but it's not the same thing. You can't help people with a doctorate. You just sit there, and you're useless!" Doppler lamented, placing his face into his palms.

"It's OK Doc." Jim placed his hand on Doppler's shoulder. "It's alright." Once Doppler calmed down, Jim turned around and walked to the entrance of the cave.

Hinata came up beside him and looked out at the fire in the distance where a group of pirates had made camp. The moon was rising high up in the sky, joining the brilliant stars above; shining hope into the seemingly hopeless situation.

Ben walked up behind them and whispered. "Jim, any thoughts at all?"

Jim sighed before answering, "Without the map, we're dead." He glanced at the pirates in the distance. "If we try to leave, we're dead. If we stay here…"

Morph left his spot from Jim's shoulder and exclaimed in a squeaky voice, "We're dead! We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!" He smiled proudly at Jim, but went back to sulking when no one smiled back.

"Well, actually there's…" Hinata began to say when Ben interrupted her, whispering loudly to Jack, who was floating next to him. "Well, I think Jimmy could use a little quiet time. So I'll just slip out the back door."

Jim's eyes widened, "Back door?"

"I was just about to tell you about it." Hinata sighed and crossed her arms. She walked over to Jack while Ben showed Jim the mechanical insides of the planet. Scratching Jack behind the ears she whispered, "These guys might be our ticket out if here." He wagged his tail and barked happily.

"Hinata," Jim called out to her, causing her to look up at him. "Stay here and watch over Doc and the Captain. I'm going to get back the map."

Hinata frowned slightly, but nodded. "Take Jack with you. He can probably lead you through the halls down there to where you want to go." She motioned her head towards Jim and Jack nodded before floating to him.

"Alright, thanks." Jim smiled uneasily at her before addressing Doctor Doppler. "Doc, I think I found a way out of here."

"No, no Jim, wait!" Doppler was brought to attention and reached out his hand towards Jim. "The captain ordered us to stay…"

"I'll be back," Jim interrupted, jumping into the opening the sphere revealed into the mechanical underworld.

Doppler dropped his arm back down to his side and groaned, "Woof."

Hinata crossed her arms and chuckled at his response. She walked over by him and leaned against the wall. "I wanted to go with him… but I'll stay here I guess."

Silence reigned between them for several minutes as the moonlight slowly entered the cave. Sliding to sit on the ground, Hinata eventually spoke up. "What did you mean when you said I'm from another galaxy?"

Doppler was quiet for a moment, before turning towards Hinata and explaining. "Think of this galaxy as a giant sphere and inside that sphere are dozens of different worlds all clustered close together."

Hinata leaned forward as she listened intently. "Is it possible to leave this galaxy?"

Shaking his head, he responded. "It's not possible. You see, at the edge of this galaxy there is something like a wall preventing passage."

"Like a world border… except in this case it's a galactic border." She mused.

"Precisely," He nodded. "I have never gone to the border myself; however there are multitudes of records of various explorers reaching it."

Hinata thought about what he said for a moment, before saying. "I had a friend that mentioned something about world borders. I never understood what he meant; but maybe this was what he was talking about." She clasped her hands together in her lap. "My friend was going around sealing worlds off from these creatures… I wonder if he was restoring the borders of the worlds." Biting her lip in worry she asked. "If there's a border around this galaxy, how come I was able to get in?"

Doppler looked at her in confusion while she spoke, before shaking his head. "If your fell, fella, ahem, fellow friend was restoring borders, it is possible that I may have an idea what occurred."

"Really?" She asked surprised, "Well what is it?"

"A few months ago I was mapping out my star charts like I do every month to see what stars have gone into supernova and which stars were newly born; but as I was looking through my telescope I noticed something rather peculiar. There was a whole new system of stars that had never been charted before. It was as if a whole new galaxy had merged with our own."

"Had that ever happened before?" Hinata asked.

"Never in my lifetime," He shook his head. "Fellow astronomers, like myself, got together to examine the new stars but there were too many to calculate. The entire astronomic community was in uproar or the appearance of the new systems. Many expeditions were sent out to investigate but none ever returned." He sighed, "I stayed behind so I could tend to my dear friend, Sarah; and looking back I am fortunate to have stayed behind."

Hinata smirked. "What if those expeditions weren't failures? What if the appearance of all those stars was the border being destroyed? Those ships could be in the other galaxy!" She stood in excitement. "Then maybe that means I could still get out of this galaxy!"

Doppler stood quickly and explained. "As much as I want to celebrate with you, I should also inform you that shortly before Jim and I left on this particular expedition, the new stars in the sky suddenly vanished." He placed his hands onto Hinata's shoulders gently as he watched her grin vanish. "I believe the border was reinstated."

Hinata closed her eyes and mumbled. "As much as I hate to admit it, that would make sense. When my ship was crashing, the computer told me that the border had regained integrity. I didn't know what it meant at the time… but now…"

"That must have been your friend's doing." Doppler commented, removing his hands from her shoulders.

"Who?" Hinata sniffled before looking back up at Doppler, confused.

"Why, the one you were just talking about, who was restoring the world borders." He told her, giving her a strange look. "What was his name?"

Hinata rapidly blinked her eyes before saying. "I… don't remember." She brushed her cheek with the back of her hand. "It's weird... I feel like I know who you are talking about but… I can't think of his face."

"How long have you been stranded here?" he asked.

"A couple weeks… I think." Hinata admitted. "The days sort of ran together while I was recovering from the crash, so it might have been longer; maybe a month at the longest?"

"And have you slept much since you've gotten here?" He asked, crossing his arms.

Hinata scoffed, "No, I wake up every couple hours because of, um, nightmares." She looked away and motioned her hand towards her clothing-bed. "Plus, I don't exactly have the most comfortable bed."

"And how about your diet?" He continued his questions after glancing at Hinata's bed.

"I thought you said you weren't that type of doctor?" Hinata chuckled.

"I know enough to know that you aren't getting nearly enough care to fully recover from whatever it is you went through." He looked her over. "And from the looks of it, it was quite a lot."

Hinata uncomfortably rubbed her hands against her arms. "I'll be fine once I get off this planet."

Doppler was about to respond, when Amelia began to stir. He immediately went to her side as she began to awaken. Hinata walked over to the sphere on the other end of the room where Jim entered the mechanical core. She glanced down into the endless halls and leaned her hands against the metal entrance. The sound of footsteps clanging on metal caught her attention.

"I think Jim is on his way back." She called behind her to the others.

"That was rather quick." Doppler noted, helping Amelia to her feet.

"Must have been easier than he thought it would be." Hinata shrugged, before she heard low murmurs of voices echoing through the halls. Their words could not be understood, but they did not originate from Jim or Ben. Backing away quickly, Hinata turned to face the Doctor and Captain. "I don't think its Jim."

Both Doppler's and Amelia's eyes widened as Hinata rushed to Ben's stash of items. Rummaging quickly, she pulled out a cast-iron frying pan. Turning the heavy utensil in her hand she hurried back to the sphere entrance. "Not ideal, but it will have to work." She looked down the entrance as the sound of footprints began to get louder. "I should try to draw them away from here." She offered aloud.

"Out of the question, Miss Hinata." Captain Amelia spoke up, small amounts of strength back in her voice. "There is power in numbers, not in solitude. Those ludicrous pirates will swiftly overpower you if you traverse alone."

"But if I stay here, there is no way for me to protect you. If I lead them elsewhere I might be able to keep them occupied until Jim gets back." Hinata argued.

"As Captain, I order you to stay here." Amelia pulled away from Doppler and stood straight, hiding the pained look on her face.

Hinata sighed, "With all due respect ma'am, you're not my captain." She leapt into the mechanical underground and landed with a loud thud on the metal floor.

"Oye, what was that?" A gruff voice echoed in the distance.

"Shut yer yap!" The same man's voice from earlier, harshly whispered. "Probably just a stray wire fallin' loose."

Gripping her makeshift weapon tightly, Hinata crept as silently as she could towards the group of pirates. Even with her slow approach, the floor lightly rattled with each step, causing the pirates to get more and more anxious as she continued.

"There's definitely somethin' there Captain." A squeaky voice whispered loudly. "What if they know we're a'comin?"

"What did I just say? Quiet!" The captain hissed. "Ready yer' weapons men. If someone's down here we'll take care of em'."

Hinata stopped walking and looked at her surroundings. Beside her was a large pole that led up to the next level. Placing the handle of the frying pan under her arm, she lifted herself over the metal fence on the edge of the walkway and grabbed onto the pole. She climbed up to the next level and swung her feet onto the floor, the faint rattling of the grated steel resonating down the hall as she landed. She stayed close to the ground and looked through the small holes in the metal. The footsteps from the pirates gradually became louder but were drowned out by Hinata's heart drumming in her ears. Up ahead, on the lower level, Hinata spotted the group. There were seven of them all together; being led by the man Jim spoke to earlier. His mechanical eye was glowing red and his metal arm reached to the ground, acting as a cane. He wobbled in front of the crew; but despite his limp he still seemed threatening. They walked under Hinata, unaware that she was even there, as she watched them from above. Once they had passed, Hinata immediately got up and climbed onto the pole. Sliding down to the lower level, she grabbed her frying pan and slammed it against the back of the head of a tall creature that had the appearance of a squid lying on top of a sack of potatoes. To her surprise, the brown squid alien slid off of the body and fell into the mechanical abyss below. Its scream reverberated with the loud clang of the pan and each of the pirates immediately turned around to face Hinata.

The larger body the squid-like creature had been resting on top of clenched its large hands along the railing of the walkway, staring down at its friend that Hinata had knocked over the edge. With a growl he turned to face Hinata, "You'll pay for that, you wench!"

Hinata smiled sheepishly as she slowly backed away from the glares of the threatening men. "I really thought you were both one guy. I didn't intend that to happen, honestly." She explained quickly.

The captain began to chuckle, pushing past his crew to stand in front of Hinata. "Well, well, what do we have here? Didn't realize this planet had people livin' here." His thick hand reached up to a black pirate hat on his head and took it off, before placing it over his heart. "The name's Captain Silver, we're look…"

"I know why you're here." Hinata interrupted. "Not a lot of reasons people come to Treasure Planet."

Silver stood straight and his red eye shined brightly as he looked her over. "Do you know where the treasure is, Lass?"

Hinata gulped, "Um… no, actually I have no idea."

"She's lyin' Captain!" A short green alien with over a dozen eyeballs on long sockets squealed.

"I'm really not," Hinata defended, backing up a few more steps.

The large brown alien that had threatened her earlier grabbed the hilt of a sword on his belt and unsheathed it. "Who cares what she knows? I say we gut her!"

The surrounding pirates all began to agree as their voices began to rise in excitement and they unsheathed their weapons. With a loud clang, Silver slammed his cane arm on the ground, causing the men to go silent. "There will be no killin', you twits! Without the map we aren't going to find anything. We'll take her along." He pointed forwards and looked at Hinata but then scowled when he saw her running away in the distance. "What the devil? After her!" His crew began to cheer as they rushed past their captain holding their weapons high. "Bring her back alive!" He yelled after them.

Hinata ran down the hall, her footsteps rattling the floor with every step. The ruckus of the pirates trailing behind her was gradually growing in volume as they were catching up. Reaching a ladder, Hinata hastily climbed up and reached the next level where she spotted a sphere in the ceiling. She placed her hands against it and pushed it open, allowing moonlight to pour in through the opening. Glancing behind her, she saw the pirates had reached the ladder, but Silver was not among them. She reached up and pulled herself out onto the ground above. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness outside but she didn't stop to allow them time to adjust properly. She immediately stood and went into a sprint. Mushroom trees of all sizes surrounded her in the thickest brush she had ever seen, allowing only thin streaks of moonlight to shine through. Her foot caught on something, causing her to stumble, but she was able to stop her fall with her arms. The frying pan fell out of her grip as she fell and she felt around in the darkness to find it, but was unsuccessful. She reached behind her to see what caused her to fall and found that it was a broken branch. Grabbing it as she stood, she held it out in front of her while continuing to move forward. It was the size of a long spear with the puff of the mushroom sprouted on the tip.

She gripped it tightly as she continued to run, trying to weave her way through the trees to get out of sight. Loud yells could be heard in the distance as the pirates began climbing onto the planet from the abyss below.

"Where did she go?" A raspy woman's voice croaked.

"Split up!" A deep voice bellowed, "She was only a little bit ahead of us, she has to be here somewhere!"

"Cut down the forest if you have to!" The squeaky voice of the green alien called out.

Hinata could hear the blades slicing through the thicket and slowed to a stop. "If they're splitting up, maybe I have a chance." She whispered, gripping her new weapon with both of her hands.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the pirates' commotion. After a moment she opened her eyes and smirked. She crept to the left where she heard the squeaky voiced pirate complaining under his breath. Peeking through the thicket, she spotted the top of his multiple eyes staring intently at the trees in front of him while he chopped them up. Hinata carefully circled around him, making sure to stay far enough in the brush that she was out of sight.

Once she saw his back, she came up behind him and whispered, "Are you looking for me?"

At the sound of her voice, the alien turned around, all of his eyes widening when he saw her. He opened his mouth to alert the others, but was cut short when Hinata swung her branch into his eye sockets, as if she were hitting a ball with a bat. A cloud of spores broke out upon impact and her victim fell to the ground. Within seconds after being hit, the pirate began squirming on the ground, screaming, "Spiders! They're everywhere! Get them off!"

Hinata looked at the branch in her hand and then back at the horrified eyes of the alien on the ground. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize." She stammered before running back into the brush as the other pirates ran up to their fallen comrade.

"What's up with him?" A short alien, with the appearance of a woman's head being supported by two straggly arms, asked. "There aren't any spiders."

A large man with the face of a rhino waved his hand in front of the eyes of the green creature but got no reaction as he continued to panic. The man growled, "Must be the work of that witch. She has to be close by." Picking up his fallen crewmate, he yelled, "Find her!"

The woman saluted, before using her hands to run off into the brush along with the other pirates. Hinata watched as the rhino scanned the area, holding her breath when his eyes went over her hiding spot. "I know you're here, witch!" He yelled, taking a couple steps towards Hinata while his eyes turned elsewhere. "It's pointless to hide! We will find you!"

The sound of swords slicing through the trees and the random screams and whimpers from the green alien were the only ambience as the rhino-man scoured the area. Hinata took a deep breath before she began to walk backwards, trying to get further out of sight. Her secrecy was short lived as her foot landed on a twig and snapped it. The large man in front of her whipped his head towards her and growled. He dropped the panicking green pirate onto the ground before immediately charging into the brush straight for Hinata.

Hinata gasped and turned around to sprint in the opposite direction. She weaved through the trees in an attempt to get out of sight but the rhino had caught her scent. A large hand gripped her shoulder tightly and pulled her back, mid-run. She spun her weapon around in her hand, before turning and hitting him on the side of the face with the end of the branch. A cloud of spores exploded around them upon impact and the man let go of Hinata as he brought his hands to his face. He yelled, getting the attention of the other pirates as Hinata made her escape. As she ran, bright lights began clouding the corners of her vision.

She closed her eyes and shook her head in an attempt to clear it. "Not me too…" She whispered, "I don't have time for this."

Without seeing where she was going, Hinata caught her foot on a vine and stumbled forward. She opened her eyes in the nick of time and broke her fall with her hands. She was no longer in the brush of trees but had made it to a hill filled with tangled roots from the surrounding forest. Focusing her eyes, Hinata could see underneath the roots and saw that there was enough room to fit underneath them. With her vision becoming more contorted by the second, she maneuvered herself into the opening and hid under the thick roots. Her head began to pound once she was lying still and she closed her eyes to block out the hallucinations.

"You should open your eyes." Riku's voice echoed through her head.

"You're just a hallucination." Hinata whispered, keeping her eyes tightly shut.

"How will you know if the pirates are coming if you can't see them?" He asked her. Hinata opened her mouth to answer but he cut her off. "Don't say anything, they might hear you."

Taking a deep breath, Hinata slowly opened her eyes. The hallucinations were not as severe as her first encounter, but the corners of her vision were blurred with strange lights and shapes. Riku was on the other side of the roots, seemingly keeping watch even though he wasn't able to see any more than Hinata could. The yells of the two pirates caught in their own deliriums resonated throughout the forest as the others searched for Hinata.

"Why are we goin' through all this trouble for some measly girl?" The woman complained.

"Captain's orders," Another pirate told her with a deep raspy voice. "I say we stick together. She's tryin' to pick us off."

"Well where is she?" The angry alien from earlier yelled. "I'm getting tired of her games. If I find her first I'm not keepin' her alive."

Hinata gasped at his words and began to stir from her spot. "Stop moving," Riku scolded her in a hushed tone, even though no one else could hear him. "Stay hidden. You can't see well enough to fight."

"You go against the Captain's orders and I'll be gutting you next!" The deep voiced alien threatened.

The roots around her began to rattle when the bony hand of the woman landed on top. Particles of dust from the roots fell onto Hinata from the disturbance. Hinata held her breath when she saw the woman beginning to walk over her hiding spot. Despite Riku's insistence, she tightly closed her eyes, unable to watch what would happen next.

"Oye! I think I see somethin'!" The woman called over to the other pirates.

Hinata gulped and she forced an eye open to see the woman alien staring right at her through the opening of the roots. They stared at each other for a moment as Hinata gave her a pleading look not to say anything.

Ignoring the plea, the pirate grinned, beginning to jump up and down as she exclaimed, "Yep! It's her! We've got her now!"

"Oh come on!" Hinata groaned, lifting her foot and kicking the back of the woman's head through an opening of the roots. Ignoring her distorted vision, she wriggled her way out of her hiding spot and grabbed one of the thin arms of the alien.

"What do you think you're doin'?" The woman squirmed as Hinata easily picked her up.

The other pirates came into view with their weapons bared and Hinata threw the alien right at them before breaking into a run back towards the sphere that led into the mechanical underworld. The pirates were taken aback by the sudden throw but caught their crewmate before chasing after Hinata.

"What do you think you're doing?" Riku asked as he ran beside her.

"I need to get back to Doc and the Captain. Maybe Jim's back." She told him, shaking her head to clear out the blurred vision.

Reaching the sphere, she jumped inside and landed on the metal floor. She pushed herself to stand and ran forward, but ran into something. Taking a couple steps back, she saw Captain Silver standing in front of her with his cane hand turned into a gun.

"I was wondering what was taking my crew so long." He told her with a scowl. "You must be quite the clever girl."

Hinata took a step back to climb back onto the planet, but the other pirates jumped in behind her. She tried to push past them, but they grabbed her arms and held her in place. They turned her to face Silver and she was met with the barrel of the gun placed against her chest. She glared up at him, trying to seem unafraid, but the beads of sweat forming on her face gave away her uneasiness.

Without tearing his eyes away from Hinata's, Silver asked, "How many are down?"

"Four." One of the men keeping Hinata in custody answered. "She put some spell on two of them. She's a witch."

"What did you do to them?" Silver demanded, pressing the barrel harder into her chest.

"They'll be fine in an hour." Hinata told him, wincing as the gun pressed into her skin. "And I'm not a witch. They just got mushroom spores in their system, it causes hallucinations."

Glaring at her, Silver pulled back his gun, letting Hinata get a full breath of air. He looked over at one of his crew and ordered, "Get the others. The trap is set."

"What trap?" Hinata asked, pulling against the aliens holding her hostage.

Without answering, Silver lifted his gun up into the air before bringing it down and hitting Hinata on the back of the head. Her already distorted vision blurred to black as she heard Riku's voice calling her name before she fell out of consciousness.


	5. Treasure Planet

Chapter 5

Her head pounding, Hinata opened her eyes to find herself tied up. Her hands were bound behind her back with a cloth over the front of her mouth. She tried to figure out where she was but the area she found herself in was almost pitch black. Trying to make a sound, her voice was muffled through the gag over her mouth as she also tried to wriggle free from her constraints.

A tentacle smacked her on the back of the head. "Be quiet!" A harsh voice ordered her.

She fell silent and tried to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Within a couple minutes she was able to make out dark silhouettes of figures around the room. She seemed to be back in Ben's home and was surrounded by the pirates. Her hallucinations had passed as did the delusions of the two pirates that had been suffering earlier. She looked beside her and was able to make out two familiar figures; Doctor Doppler and Captain Amelia. They seemed to be in the same situation as her, with their hands bound behind their backs and gags over their mouths. Rattling metal mixed with the sound of footsteps came out of the sphere on the far end of the room.

Jim hurriedly climbed out of the sphere, holding a gold object in his hand. Running to the other end of the room to a figure lying on the floor, he whispered, "Doc, Doc, wake up! I got the map!"

A large metal hand rose from the figure and grabbed the object in Jim's hand, "Fine work, Jimbo." Silver chuckled, sitting up to reveal himself. "Fine work, indeed."

Jim's eyes widened and he quickly backed up, but was met with a group of pirates who immediately grabbed him. Hinata tried to yell for him to run, but was muffled by the cloth over her mouth. Ben and Morph also tried to get away, but were overtaken by the pirates within seconds. Jack flew through the pirates, barking irately. Whenever one of the aliens would grab him he would float right through their grasp. He tried biting them but without teeth, he was hardly dangerous. Seeing Hinata tied up, he went to her side with a whimper.

Once everything had settled, Silver stood from his spot and grabbed the gold object from Jim. "You're just like me, Jimbo. Ya hates to lose." With a chuckle, he began twisting the round golden sphere but swiftly became frustrated when nothing happened. Jim watched Silver struggle and began to laugh, getting a glare from Silver. He nodded to his men and they released Jim. Holding out the sphere for Jim, he ordered, "Open it!"

Jim held out his hand as Silver dropped it into his grasp. He stood there for a moment, and glanced over at Hinata, Doppler, and Amelia. Hinata was confused at what the object even was, while Doppler and Amelia were shaking their heads.

Seeing Jim's apprehension, Silver held up his gun and charged up a shot. "I'd get busy."

Sighing, Jim looked down at the small sphere in his hands and suddenly began pressing buttons as if he were entering a code. Hinata watched in confusion, gasping when the object clicked and began to glow a bright blue; lighting up the entire cave as a single string of light flew out of the cave.

Silver grinned once the light appeared and muttered, "Oh the powers that be. Would you look?" Making his face stern he ordered, "Tie him up and leave him with the others while we—what?"

The glow sucked back into the sphere as Jim closed it. Silver glared while Jim told him. "You want the map? You're taking me too."

Silver's eyes widened before he chuckled and shook his head. Motioning his head outside he conceded. "We'll take them all."

"And untie my friends." Jim ordered, returning the glare Silver gave him.

"Not a chance!" One of the aliens that held Hinata captive objected.

Silver rolled his one good eye, "Remove the gags, but keep their wrists tied."

Their gags were removed and Jack licked Hinata's cheek once it was free. She gave him a small smile and whispered, "Jack, can you grab my satchel and bring it with us?" With a nod, he floated over to her things and began putting things away to bring along. Hinata was about to thank him but quickly scowled when a pirate shoved her forward. "Alright, I'm going, calm down." She walked forward to be beside Jim as they exited the cave and quietly told him. "I'm glad you made it back safely."

Jim scoffed, "Yeah, but I didn't end up helping anything. They had us trapped the whole time."

"At least now we have the map, I'm assuming that's what that gold thing is anyways." Hinata shrugged, trying to lighten the situation. "And thanks for convincing them to take us along. I was worried about what they were going to do to us if they left us behind."

"This isn't over yet," Jim mumbled under his breath. "I'm going to make sure we all get out of this alive."

Hinata nodded and promised, "I'll do what I can to help."

They climbed out of the cave and made their way to the bottom of the vines. Jim then reopened the map and the bright light emanated from the sphere, leading the way to the supposed treasure.

"Do you expect all of us to walk there?" Doppler spoke up.

"Course not Doc," Silver chuckled, "We brought transportation of course." Bringing his hand to his mouth he let out a loud whistle and within seconds a flying boat zoomed out of the sky and landed right in front of them.

Hinata stared at the vessel as the pirates began loading everyone on. It had the appearance of a large white boat with a shining gold sail and a control board on the front covered with various buttons and levers. "Is that a space ship?" She asked without thinking.

One of the pirates groaned as they pushed Hinata on board the ship. She glared at the tall alien with green tentacles for arms before resigning and following orders. Once she was aboard she sat beside Jim on one of the wooden plank seats.

"I thought you said your ship crashed here." Jim whispered to her once she was beside him. "You weren't driving one of these?"

"Um… no I had a gummi ship." She replied as Silver got into the boat and sat in front of her and Jim.

"A what?" Jim asked confused.

"Quiet!" Silver harshly whispered.

A large pirate with multiple arms sat in the back of the ship, pressing buttons to get the engine revving up. With a push on a lever the boat began to move forward. A strong breeze brushed past them as they followed the beam across the planet. They flew past the mushroom forest and through the large field Jack and Hinata had found earlier that day. The same herd of strange animals rushed by them as they travelled. Doctor Doppler's eyes lit up as he saw the creatures but he remained silent due to a pirate aiming an energy gun right at him. Several hours passed and the moon had bid farewell as the sun began to rise in the sky for the new day. Once the morning had begun, they entered another forest; similar to the one Hinata had hidden from the pirates in earlier. The trees were so close together that the ship began having trouble getting through.

"Stop the ship," Silver ordered, "We'll walk from here."

Hinata yawned as the ship slowed to a stop and landed on the moss covered ground. She stretched her stiff muscles and was about to climb off when a large hand from one of the pirates landed on her shoulder.

"Captain, should we tie the witch up with the others?" The pirate asked, his three other arms clenched into fists as he glared down at Hinata.

"I'm not a witch, I told you." Hinata mumbled under her breath.

Silver shook his head, "No, I want that lass where I can keep my eye on her. She's comin' with us."

With a low growl, the alien reluctantly removed his hand from Hinata and she smirked up at him while he unbound her hands so she could climb off the ship. She rubbed her sore wrists once they were free and jumped onto the ground next to Jim and Ben. Jack floated up to Hinata with the strap to her satchel in his mouth. With a smile of thanks, she took the bag from him and placed it over her shoulder.

Silver put up his metal hand and stopped a large brown alien with two horns protruding on his head. "Keep watch on the Doctor and that poor excuse of a captain. We'll be back with the treasure."

The alien grunted in response and pulled out his gun with a smirk. "With pleasure." He chuckled, turning around to face Doctor Doppler and Captain Amelia, who was beginning to regain her strength.

Jim looked down at the sphere that was still in his hands. The beam of light leading them further into the forest was beginning to pulsate, as if signifying that they were getting closer to their target. "Shouldn't be too far off now." He mentioned, looking at their surroundings. A uneasy squeak came from his pocket where Morph was hiding, and Jim lightly patted him on the head, "It's okay Morph."

Ben came up beside Hinata and whispered loudly as they walked, "You didn't tell me you were a witch."

Hinata let out a snort of laughter, before clearing her throat when she got a few glares from the pirates. "I'm not, Ben." She explained in a hushed tone. "They just think I am because I got some of them to get hallucinations from the mushrooms."

"When did you do that?" Jim asked quietly, when he overheard her.

"While you were getting the map I heard these guys coming through that metal underground place, so I jumped down and tried to distract them until you got back." She sighed, "It didn't turn out like I expected, I ended up just making them angry. I did beat a few of them pretty bad though."

Jim smirked, "Cool."

"Quiet down! I don't want to hear another word!" Silver barked.

Hinata put up her hands in fake surrender and sighed while she scratched Jack's head. His ears were flat on his head as he floated alongside the crew. The bright beam from the map suddenly began to let out a loud pulse akin to the sound of a heartbeat as it began flashing.

Silver grinned, "We're gettin' close lads! I smell treasure a-waitin'!" Grabbing Jim's collar, Silver changed his mechanical hand into a sword and began pulling Jim forward while he chopped down the trees in front of them. The crew began brimming with excitement until Silver cleared the path to reveal a cliff leading into nothingness and the beam of the map stopping in front of an invisible wall. "Huh, where is it?" He asked, letting go of Jim's collar.

The small green alien with multiple eyes growled, "I see nothing! One great, big stinking hunk of nothing!"

Silver pushed Jim forward, "What's going on Jimbo?"

As he spoke the bright energy from the map instantly sunk back into the golden sphere. Jim frantically tried twisting the map and replied in panic, "I don't know; I can't get it open!"

"We should've never followed this boy!" The woman alien ran up behind Jim. She leaped into the air and harshly pushed Jim to the ground with one of her hands.

"Hey!" Jim yelled as he fell to the ground.

"Hey, stop it!" Hinata yelled, running in between the pirates and Jim. "He can't figure it out if you hurt him!"

"I suggest you get that thing workin' again, and fast!" Silver ordered.

The group of pirates swiftly became irate as they began inching forward, throwing threats at Jim if he didn't figure things out. Hinata stood her ground and yelled, "Knock it off!"

"I think I got it!" Jim exclaimed, finding a round groove in the ground and quickly placing the map into it.

The stone ground beneath them instantly lit up in response to the map being placed in the spot. A glowing orb rose from the ground at the edge of the cliff and in the deep trench below, pulsating green lights began to shine brightly leading to the orb. With a bright flash a towering triangular door appeared, inside the door was open space.

"Oh, my mercy…" Silver muttered under his breath at the sight.

Hinata helped Jim stand and stared wide-eyed at the door in front of her. Jim looked at the door confused and asked, "The Lagoon Nebula?"

Silver shook his head in disbelief, "But, that's halfway across the galaxy."

Jim walked forward and examined the glowing orb in front of the door. It appeared to be a map of the entire galaxy. Jim placed his hand to his chin and muttered, "A big door, opening and closing." He looked at the icons of different planets inside the orb and said, "Let's see… Kinapis…" He smiled and pressed his finger against a planet, "Montressor Spaceport."

The door closed in reaction to Jim's interference with the map and reopened to show what appeared to be a crescent moon floating in a deep blue space surrounded by stars.

Jim grinned as he began pressing various buttons on the orb to open the door to different planets. "So that's how Flint did it. He used this portal to roam the universe stealing treasure."

Hinata rushed up to the map as Jim pressed different planets, desperately trying to find one she recognized; but was interrupted when Silver shoved both her and Jim away from it.

"But where did he stash it all?" Silver growled, losing patience. He frantically began pressing different planets, barely pausing in between each one to see what was there. "Where's that blasted treasure?" He yelled.

The wires in the back of Ben's head began to spark and he grabbed the ends of them while he spoke, "Treasure! Treasure! It's buried in the…" He tried to continue talking but his voice began breaking up while his eyes switched colors.

Hinata rushed to his side, confused about what was happening to him while Jim pieced everything together. "Buried in the centroid of the mechanism." His eyes lit up and he looked back at the door. "What if the planet is the mechanism? And it's buried in the center of this planet?"

The pirates looked at each other slack-jawed before grabbing any digging utensils they could find and attempted to dig into the stone ground; only to find that the ground was impenetrable.

"And how in blue blazes are we supposed to get there?" Silver yelled, still pressing different planets.

Jim pushed Silver aside and reached for a button that represented the planet they were on. "Just, open the right door."

The crew fell silent as the door closed once more and reopened to a mechanical room. Only the ceiling was visible from where they stood. Metal tubes protruded from the ceiling inside the door as thick beams of purple energy would randomly shoot out of one tube into the ground of the planet. Jim and the crew reluctantly walked towards the door while Hinata attempted to stay near the back. She stared at the glowing map Silver and Jim had been tampering with.

"I wonder if any worlds I know are on here…" She whispered when she felt Silver's hand on her shoulder.

He pulled her forward, near the front of the group. "You're staying with us, Lass."

Hinata glanced back at the sphere but sighed and followed Silver's lead. She walked up beside Jim as he began putting his hand through the portal that led to the center of the planet. She followed after him and her mouth fell open at the sight in front of her once she entered the door. Mountains of gold and colorful gems were piled as far as their eyes could see. The bright energy beams reflected off the shining money and even though Hinata had no invested interest in wealth, her knees wobbled slightly from sudden weakness.

"The loot of a thousand worlds." Silver said under his breath, while he stared at the treasure in front of him.

The crew instantly broke into a cheer and ran aimlessly into the prize before them. Hinata looked over at Jack beside her and he seemed just as entranced as everyone else.

"This is all seeming very familiar… but I can't remember why?" Ben commented, still pulling at the wires on the back of his head.

"You were right Ben," Hinata said, placing her hand on Ben's shoulder, "There really was treasure in the center of the planet." She shook her head in disbelief, "I just can't believe it."

"Come on you guys," Jim nudged them and began walking towards an old boat on top of a pile of gold. "We're getting out of here, and we're not leaving empty-handed."

"We better not." Hinata noted as she followed Jim and Ben, "This is way too amazing to just leave here."

While she followed them, she looked over the glistening treasure and began picking up various pieces that caught her attention and stuffing them into her satchel. She even caught sight of a gold encased blade. Picking it up, she adjusted it in her hand and spun it with ease. "Finally," She grinned. "It's so nice to actually have a weapon again."

"Hinata, come on!" Jim called to her, getting her out of her trance.

"Oh yeah, sorry," She apologized, rushing to the boat Jim had already reached.

Jim hoisted himself onto the boat and leaned over the edge to help Hinata but she was already climbing up, so he aided Ben instead. The boat was long and narrow with a burnt orange sail with multiple holes and tears from the wear of old age. Ben flung onto the deck of the ship with Hinata and Jim before they examined their surroundings. As Ben landed, he looked up and gasped at the sight of a skeleton sitting on a golden throne.

"Captain Flint, in the flesh!" Ben exclaimed, scurrying to his feet. "Well, s-sort of, except for skin, organs… or anything that resembles flesh… that's not there."

Jim cautiously approached the skeleton of the strange alien. A black pirate hat adorned its head and its hand was clasped tightly around a metal object. Around its neck was a black chained necklace with an oddly bright star charm on the end. Jack looked at the pendant while Hinata knelt down beside Ben and began grabbing handfuls of gold coins piled on the floor and putting them into her bag.

Ben turned around and looked out at the field of treasure while tapping his chin and saying, "It's so odd, you know? I remember there was something horrible Flint didn't want anyone else to know but… I just can't remember what it was." Grabbing the sides of his head, Ben cried, "Oh, a mind is a terrible thing to lose!"

"Ben!" Jim called excitedly, ripping Captain Flint's boney hand open to retrieve the metal object inside. "I think I just found your mind!"

Hinata stood from her spot and looked at the object in Jim's hand while he approached. Jim grabbed the back of Ben's head and held up the copper 'L' shaped piece over the stray wires.

"Aah, Jimmy!" Ben startled, "Your hands are very, very cold back there and… Woah!" The stray wires from his head sprang forward and ripped the piece out of Jim's hand, connecting the pieces together. Ben's head spun around and his eyes shone a bright blue while he yelled, "Hello!" He calmed down and looked at Hinata and Jim in front of him. "You know guys, I was just thinking… just thinking…" He jumped up and outstretched his arms with a laugh, "It's all flooding back! All my memories!" He leaned forward and pointed his finger towards the skeleton. "Right until Flint pulled my memory circuit so I couldn't tell anyone about his booby trap!"

Hinata's grin immediately faded, "Wait, what?"

As if on cue, a low rumble began vibrating the ground beneath them and the piles of gold began rattling and shifting from their spots. Along the walls, lined with black pipes, explosions began erupting, causing steam and sparks to fly through the air.

"Speaking of which…" Ben started.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hinata yelled, watching the world around them beginning to combust while Jim ran towards the control board. "Why would Flint do this?"

"Flint wanted to make sure nobody could ever steal his treasure, so he rigged this whole planet to blow higher than a Kalepsian kite!" Ben exclaimed.

As he spoke, one of the metal pipes from the ceiling dislodged and fell into the gold below, cracking the ground. The planet was beginning to fall to pieces, revealing a lava core. Gold coins began trickling down into the burning abyss below, much to the pirates' dismay as the entire area became chaos.

"We've got to get out of here!" Hinata exclaimed and turned to find Jim underneath the control board messing with the wires. "Jim, what do you think you're doing?"

Ben ran up to Jim and pulled on his legs, "Run Jimmy! Run for your life!"

"Both of you go back and help the captain and Doc!" Jim ordered them, "If I'm not back in five minutes, leave without me."

"Are you crazy?" Hinata objected, "You have to come with us!"

"I'm not leaving my buddy Jimmy!" Ben added, pulling Jim out from under the control board; only to be met with Jim giving him the death glare. "Unless he looks at me like that." Ben gulped. Dropping Jim's legs, Ben turned to run away and grabbed Hinata's hand to drag her behind him while yelling, "Bye Jim!"

"Ben, we can't just…" Hinata objected, trying to pull away.

"We don't have time to argue!" Ben told her, "Jimmy gave us a job, we have to do it!"

Hinata glanced back at Jim with a frown but gave in and called, "Jack, come on."

Jack barked and followed them. They swiftly made their way out of the exploding area, avoiding metal cylinders falling from the ceiling. Making their way through the door and past the glowing orb, Hinata ripped her hand away from Ben's grasp.

"Hinata, what are you doing?" Ben asked, slowing to a stop. "We have to move!" He saw Hinata staring at the glowing map and came up beside her. "You heard Doc, you aren't from the same galaxy." He told her seriously with all his jokes aside.

"He might be wrong." Hinata glanced quickly at Ben before reaching her hand forward. "This might be my only chance."

Ben swiftly yanked Hinata's hand away from the map. "If you press another world, Jimmy won't have any way to escape. We have to stick together." Pulling her behind him he told her, "Now come on! We don't have much time."

Hinata looked longingly at the map before closing her eyes and turning to follow Ben willingly. She pushed herself into a run so they could reach the boat they left in the forest. Yet when they arrived, the boat was nowhere to be seen.

"Doctor Doppler?" Hinata called out, spinning in place. "Captain?" She stopped and groaned, "We don't have time for this! Ben, do you have any idea where they are?"

She turned around and saw the compass that was once in Ben's chest opened with an array of buttons on the top. His eyes were green as his metal fingers swiftly worked the keyboard. "There is a ship approaching our coordinates. It should be here within two minutes."

Hinata walked over to him with her hands on her hips. "And you know that how?" She said, losing her balance as the planet began to rumble.

Ben kept his balance perfectly as he continued to type away. "I'm a Bio Electronic Navigator!" He told her proudly, not missing a beat. "This was what I am meant to do. Ah, the things I can do with a proper working mind!"

Grabbing a nearby tree, Hinata struggled to keep her balance as the world continued to shake increasingly more violent. As Ben predicted, the loud engines of the ship were heard overhead as a much larger ship than the one they had ridden before landed in front of them. Hinata shielded her eyes with her arm as the engines of the ship caused strong gusts of wind to fill the area. Captain Amelia was seen at the edge of the ship holding her side with one of her white gloved hands before she tossed over a rope ladder.

"Come aboard swiftly!" She yelled down at them.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Hinata smiled as she pulled herself onto the ladder and climbed up with Ben close behind.

Once they were aboard, Ben scurried up to the helm where Doctor Doppler was driving the large ship and Hinata followed. "We need to pick up Jim by the door." She hurriedly told Doppler. "It's passed this thicket."

"Yes, we were on our way there when we spotted the both of you." Doppler told her, struggling to turn the large wooden wheel in the direction he needed to go.

Amelia slid into a seated position against the wall behind Doctor Doppler. "Don't force it Doctor!" She ordered him, "Ease it over gently."

"I'm trying, it's not as easy as it looks, you know!" He complained to her.

"How did you guys get away from the pirate?" Hinata asked, "Ben and I were on our way to help you."

"Afraid I'll have to tell you the story another time." Doppler replied shortly.

"Hate to break up the party," Ben interrupted, "But we have about five minutes till planet's destruction!"

"Let's retrieve Mr. Hawkins and retreat immediately." Captain Amelia ordered.

Hinata ran to the edge of the large ship and watched them approach the door that showed the fiery core of the planet. Not one piece of gold was visible inside of it and even the ground on the outside of the portal was beginning to crack.

"Come on Jim," Hinata pleaded, staring at the door.

Jim and Silver burst through the portal out of breath and Hinata let out a sigh of relief. Doppler lowered the ship in front of them with Amelia's instructions.

"Aloha Jimmy!" Ben called out and waved. "Hurry people, we have exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds till planet's destruction!

Hinata helped Jim onto the deck as Silver followed close behind and the ship immediately lifted off to leave the exploding planet.

"You had me worried!" She told Jim as they ran up a set of stairs to be by Ben and lightly punched his shoulder, "You're the first human I've seen in a long time; don't go scaring me like that!"

Jim laughed, "Nah, I had everything under control."

Silver scoffed behind him before turning towards Captain Amelia and taking off his hat, saying. "Captain, you dropped from the heavens in the nick of…"

"Save your claptrap for the judge, Silver!" She cut him off with a glare before going back to helping the Doctor with his driving.

Before anyone could respond, a large metal part of the planet exploded and plummeted straight through the mast of the ship. The roaring engines reduced, causing the ship to dip.

"What just happened?" Hinata asked.

"Missile tail demobilized, captain." Ben turned away from the navigation momentarily. "Thrusters at only thirty-percent of capacity."

"Thirty-percent?" Doppler repeated, looking wide-eyed back at Amelia, "That means… we'll never clear the planet's explosion in time."

Jim ran back down the stairs and yelled, "We've got to turn around!"

"What?" Captain Amelia objected.

"There's a portal back there! It can get us out of here!" He explained, running towards a pile of metal thrusters on the deck.

"He's right" Hinata added in, "It can lead us anywhere in the galaxy."

"Pardon me," Doppler asked, "But didn't that portal open into a raging inferno?"

"Yes," Jim admitted, reaching the pile of metal and pulling out a flat long board. "But I'm going to change that. I'm going to open a different door."

Silver ran down to be beside Jim as Doppler stammered his disbelief at the idea.

"He's telling the truth, Doc," Hinata assured him, getting an unsure look from him.

"One minute, twenty-nine seconds till planet's destruction!" Ben yelled out a reminder.

Hinata watched as Silver aided Jim in creating some contraption but she hadn't the slightest idea what it was.

"Really, Hinata, I don't see how that's possible." Doppler spluttered as he tried to keep the ship steady. "If we go back to that portal we could very well be signing our death warrants."

"I'm telling you Doc, if Jim can get to the portal before us, he can open it to another world." Hinata assured him, looking back at Jim as he stood on top of the metal plank and clipped his foot against a metal trigger attached to a make-shift engine. "What is he thinking?" She asked under her breath.

"What was that?" Doppler asked with panic in his voice.

"Oh, I was just saying that Jim has everything under control." Hinata responded quickly, her cheeks turning red as she bit her lip. She watched Jim rev the engine on his contraption and fly off into the distance.

"Well, you heard him!" Silver yelled, once Jim was out of sight, "Get this blasted heap turned around!"

Doppler stared, unsure of what to do but Captain Amelia spoke up. "Doctor, take us back to the portal."

"Aye, Captain." Doppler obeyed, turning the wooden wheel of the helm around to follow Jim to the portal.

Hinata ran down the stairs and leaned against the edge of the ship, watching Jim as he rode the metal surfboard towards the portal in the distance. "There's no way…" She muttered under her breath.

"Have a little faith in the boy." Silver told her coming up beside her.

Hinata uncomfortably inched away from Silver as he approached her and kept her eyes glued to Jim.

"Twenty-five seconds!" Ben yelled over the loud explosions surrounding them.

Lava and random parts of the planet burst into the air from every direction but Jim was able to avoid them with ease with his contraption; except, when the engine unexpectedly gave out right over a trench filled with lava.

"Jim!" Hinata yelled, panicked as Jim began to fall.

He desperately clicked the trigger next to the engine, trying to get it to rev back to life but nothing was working. As everyone watched horrified, he fell into the trench out of sight.

Hinata brought her hand over her mouth, "No…"

"Come on, lad." Silver leaned against the edge of the ship.

"Seventeen seconds!" Ben yelled.

A loud burst erupted out of the trench and Jim suddenly appeared on top of his contraption, with the engine fully functional. Ben reached the final countdown of ten seconds and as he reduced the numbers, the portal leading to the exploding core grew closer and closer. Hinata reached over and grabbed Jack, who was floating beside her, and hugged him to her chest before tightly closing her eyes. Ben's voice echoed through her ears as the number reached zero. Hinata waited for the final explosion but it never came.

Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and saw that they were in front of the crescent moon space port. The starry sky around them felt overwhelmingly peaceful and Hinata fell to her knees in relief. Jack floated effortlessly out of her tight grasp and looked at their surroundings. His tail began to wag wildly and he turned around to Hinata, spotting her with multiple dog-kisses. She laughed and waved him away. "I know! We actually made it off!"

She jumped up and gave Jack a hug before pulling away to look for Jim. He jumped back onto the ship from his surfer invention, and she ran over to him. Everyone was surrounding him, congratulating him on his success and he was beaming.

"Jim," She grinned as she approached him, "I cannot believe you just pulled that off."

He laughed, "Thanks for the vote of confidence!"

She laughed in response. "Probably one of the closest calls on my life I've had recently." She walked forward and gave him a quick hug, "You did a great job, thank you."

"Yeah, don't mention it." He beamed, looking beside him. "Hey, where did Silver go?"

Hinata took a couple steps back, "Oh, I have no idea."

Jim looked down at his feet for a moment, his grin disappearing, "I'm gonna go find him, talk to you later alright?"

"Sure thing," Hinata smiled as he ran off. She looked over the edge of the ship at the space port in the distance.

"Montressor Spaceport." Doppler told her, coming up beside her. "Once it's morning there we can take this ship back to its rightful home."

"What's going to happen to me now?" Hinata asked after a few silent moments.

"Well…" Doppler cleared his throat. "I know you do not know me very well, however, I do have a spare room in my home that you are welcomed to stay in."

Hinata looked over at him, "Really? You would do that?"

"It's rather uncharacteristic of me, I'll give you that." He chuckled, before glancing over at Amelia and adding, "But I honestly feel like a changed man and you need some help. With my knowledge of astronomy, perhaps I can aid you in finding your world."

"Thank you." Hinata smiled sincerely. "I don't know what to say. That would be amazing if you could help me."

"Hey Doc!" Ben's voice yelled in surprise from another part of the ship. "What are these animals doing here?"

"Animals?" Hinata repeated, and then widened her eyes. "Are there animals from Treasure Planet on here?"

"I tried to convince him not to take them aboard," Amelia spoke up, walking forward with most of her strength back. "But he insisted."

Doppler straightened his jacket and defended. "Well, we got away from the pirate just as the planet was beginning to break apart. So I made a quick stop by those beautiful mountains and grabbed a pair of those herding animals as well as a sample of these strange creatures in the river. I have no experience with the species so I had no idea how to tell if they were male or female. So I suppose time will tell if we actually spared a species from extinction."

"How did you have the time for that?" Hinata asked. "I mean, I'm glad you did because I was actually worried about them, but still."

"He was rather swift about it." Amelia chuckled, "We were there for less than five minutes while he collected them."

Hinata shrugged, "Well alright," Before laughing, "What are you planning on doing with them?"

"There is a local wildlife preserve on my home-world, Montressor." Doppler explained. "They will be safe and securely studied there."

"Um, Doc?" Ben yelled again, "They are eating the beds! What do I do?"

"Oh my goodness," Doppler immediately rushed to the cabins below to assist Ben.

Hinata chuckled and looked back out at the spaceport surrounded by the thick blanket of stars. Jack lightly licked her cheek and Hinata patted his head. "We're one step closer to getting back, Jack. I promise."


	6. A Day on Montressor

Chapter 6

The crackling fire from the fireplace dimly lit the dark study as Hinata lounged on a maroon couch, reading a book. Piles of books surrounded her, some of them in stacks on the ground and many others stuffed on shelves that towered high above. With a yawn, Hinata looked up and scanned the intricate murals painted on the walls above the bookcases. They showed a large ship filled with explorers sailing through an ocean. Above the mural was a second level leading into the vaulted ceiling where there was a large telescope looking out onto the endless stars. Tall thin windows lined the walls in between the multiple bookcases around the room and Hinata looked out one of them to see the planet Montressor outside. The sun was just beginning to rise and the sky was filled with a bright array of colors to greet the new day.

"Good morning, Hinata." Doctor Doppler greeted sleepily, walking into the study in a dark robe. He rubbed his eyes and gave Hinata a warm smile.

Slightly startled, Hinata turned to see Doppler standing on the other side of the large furnace, warming his hands. "Good morning." She greeted.

"You're up early," He noted, "Earlier than normal."

Hinata shrugged and looked back out the window, before admitting. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to come out here and read."

"That is never a bad idea." Doppler chuckled, stretching his back. He walked over to Hinata and sat on the edge of the couch. "Was it the nightmares?"

Sighing, Hinata nodded. "You would think that after being here for two months they would finally stop."

"It can take a long time to get over traumatic experiences." He replied in an encouraging tone. He was quiet for a moment before offering. "It might help if you talked about what happened."

Hinata closed the book she was reading and shook her head. "I'm sorry Doc, but I'm not ready."

Worry was evident on his face, but he simply nodded his head and assured her. "I understand; perhaps then, it might be time to look into some sleeping aides." When he noticed the apprehensive look on Hinata's face, he added. "You have not gotten a full night's rest since you moved here and I have no idea how you slept on that pile of clothes when we first met." He placed his hand on Hinata's shoulder. "I know you are rightfully cautious, but this is the exact type of situation these aids were created for."

Hinata reluctantly smiled, "Thanks, I will think about it I promise."

Doppler smiled in response before patting his hand on her shoulder and standing up. "Well good, I think I shall go brew a fresh pot of tea. Amelia should be up soon."

As Doppler left the room to head towards his kitchen, Hinata watched him leave before looking to the flames of the furnace. She absently watched them flicker and spark, lost in her swirling thoughts; not noticing as Amelia entered the room.

"Greetings Hinata," She spoke up in her polished voice.

Hinata looked over with a smile to see Amelia standing with her hands placed on her rounded stomach. As she walked further into the room, Hinata sat up to give her some room to sit. Placing her hands on the edge of the couch, Amelia slowly lowered herself into a seated position.

"How are you feeling?" Hinata asked, once she was completely seated.

"I'll admit I have had better days." Amelia chuckled. "The children seemed to have doubled in size overnight."

Hinata laughed lightly, "I'll say." She shook her head, "I mean, sorry, that's not what I meant."

Amelia smirked, "It's quite fine. It's no secret now that I am with child."

"How many more weeks do you have?" Hinata asked.

"About six more weeks of this…" She sighed. "Just in time for the reopening of the Benbo Inn actually."

Hinata raised an eyebrow and asked. "Only six? But you just found out you were pregnant three weeks ago."

"Nine weeks is the average full-term for my species." Amelia explained. "Unlike the borderline-torturous length of nine months for humans like yourself."

"Well, alright then." Hinata commented awkwardly. "I'll keep that in mind." They sat in an odd silence until Hinata motioned her hand towards the kitchen. "Doctor Doppler is making you some tea."

"That sounds simply marvelous." Amelia smiled before looking down at the book in Hinata's hands. "What were you researching today?"

Hinata picked up the book and showed Amelia the cover. "Guns actually," She explained. "Ever since I held that revolver back on Treasure Planet I've been sort of fascinated by them. So I was just doing some research on how they were made and how they work."

"Well, you will only learn so much from reading, if you really want to learn properly you will have to practice with the real thing." Amelia laughed, picking up the book and flipping through the pages. "If I had known you were interested I would have offered to train you on how to shoot."

Her golden eyes lighting up, Hinata beamed, "Really? Could you teach me?"

"Don't be daft, of course I can." Amelia answered. "Once I have this litter I would be delighted." She smiled at Hinata before adding, "Speaking of training, one of my students from the Interstellar Academy is here on Montressor for extended shore leave. If you would like, we could continue your instruction on hand-to-hand combat. I have felt saddened by the fact that it was cut short due to my unexpected pregnancy."

"Sure!" Hinata chimed. "That would be great. I might be a little rusty though; I wasn't exactly great at it to begin with."

Amelia smirked. "No need to worry, I will make sure my student goes easy on you."

"Ah, good morning Amelia," Doppler greeted, walking back into the study holding a tray of three steaming cups of tea.

"Thank you Doctor." Amelia smiled warmly and carefully took her cup from the tray when it was lowered to her. "And good morning to you."

Hinata laughed under her breath while she also took her cup. "If I didn't live here I would have no idea you two were together. You're so formal with each other."

Both of them chuckled in response, before Doppler explained. "Its second nature to us I suppose. But I do care for her deeply." He looked over at Amelia and placed his hand over hers.

They looked at each other longingly and Hinata suddenly felt herself getting slightly uncomfortable. Clearing her throat, she quickly drank her tea and pushed herself to stand from the couch. "I'm going to go get ready. Thank you for the tea." She told them, bringing the cup to the kitchen.

She rinsed off the cup in the large kitchen, placing it in the sink when she was done. Turning around, she made her way to a set of stairs that led to a hallway of rooms. The walls were lined with frames filled with family pictures and old documents. Reaching a large door, Hinata pushed it open to reveal her bedroom. It was mostly bare, spare for a few necessary furniture pieces. There was a large bed with a blue comforter in the center of the wall and two dark wood nightstands, one on either side. On the other end of the room stood a tall wardrobe and a desk in the corner stacked with Hinata's journals. Jack lay fast asleep on the bed, perking an ear up when Hinata entered the room. With a yawn he looked up and his bony tail began to wag swiftly once he caught sight of her. Hinata smiled at him and made her way to the wardrobe, pulling it open.

She was still in her pajamas at the moment, a tight light blue tank top with black shorts hugging her hips. Looking into the mostly bare closet, she pulled out a maroon vest with gold lining and green pants. Without care that Jack was watching, she peeled off her clothes and pulled on the new outfit. Fitting a gray tank under her vest and pulling a dark green belt around her waist. Once dressed, she folded her old clothes and placed them at the bottom of the dresser. She grabbed a pair of dark brown boots and backed up to sit on the edge of the bed. She pulled the shoes onto her bare feet, fastening them with golden belts right below her knees. As she finally finished, she placed her hands beside her and leaned back. Jack happily floated onto her lap as she looked out a nearby window. From her bedroom she could see far off town of Montressor. The world looked like islands floating in mid-air, above a thick misty smoke. Various kinds of aliens were already bustling in the distant streets, some on their own ships and some simply walking everywhere.

Hinata sighed. "Well Jack, what should we do today?" She looked down at her dog and scratched him behind his ears. "We've been here for two months now… I think the excitement of a new world has finally worn off." She frowned. "But now I have no idea what to do."

Jack wagged his tail and floated off of Hinata's lap, going towards her satchel on top of the desk across the room. Hinata cocked her head to the side, not sure what he was wanting. Shaking his bony head, Jack turned and grabbed the strap to Hinata's satchel and began pulling on it, unable to move the entire bag. With a sigh, Hinata got up and walked over to the desk, opening her bag. A bright gleam of gold met her eyes from her adventures on Treasure Planet as well as a necklace Jack had retrieved lying on the top. Hinata picked up the necklace and examined it; a black chain with a blue star charm on the end. Holding it in her hand, Hinata noticed small green veins going through the charm.

She put it down on the table without much thought and told Jack. "I can't believe you took that off of Captain Flint… I didn't even notice you had it in your mouth until we were on Montressor." Jack whimpered in response and grabbed the necklace again, bringing it back to Hinata. With a sigh, she grabbed it again from him and said. "I don't know what you think is so special about this. Whatever this charm is supposed to do, I don't think it works anymore." Jack nudged her hand holding the chain and Hinata rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to wear it Jack." She looked up at him and then back down at the necklace, "But maybe we can get the charm put on a collar for you or something; since you seem to like it so much."

Jack barked happily and wagged his tail in response, allowing Hinata to place the chain back in her bag. Just as it was set down there was a light knock on the door, catching their attention.

"The door's open." Hinata called as Doctor Doppler slowly creaked it open.

"It's just me." Doppler said, walking into the room. "You seemed to leave the living room in quite a rush and I wanted to be sure that you were alright."

Hinata smiled uneasily. "Yeah, sorry, seeing you and Amelia together out there… it just reminded me of someone."

"Ah, Riku I presume?" He replied, clasping his hands in front of him.

"How did you…" Hinata's eyes widened and she quickly turned to face the doctor.

"Yes, Ben might have mentioned something about him." He informed her, rubbing his hands together.

Hinata lightly groaned and put her hands on her hips. "Of course he did… What all did he tell you?"

"Not much," He admitted, "He did say something about him being an imaginary friend."

With a scoff, Hinata complained under her breath. "I keep telling him…" Taking a deep breath she explained, "No, he's real. There were these berries on Treasure Planet that gave me hallucinations of Riku. I think Ben thinks that Riku was just made up… but he isn't."

"I take it you care about this Riku?" Doppler cut in, walking towards the bed and sitting on the edge of it. Jack floated over and lay in his lap as they spoke.

Hinata sighed and sat in the wooden chair in front of her desk. "Yeah… a lot actually."

"What happened to him?" He asked.

"I…" Her voice trailed off and she lightly bit her lip. Taking a deep breath she blinked back tears and spoke again. "I don't know. We lost contact shortly before I crashed. He…" Her voice broke and she cleared her throat to continue. "He wasn't in good shape the last time I saw him though… so I have no idea what happened to him."

"Is he the cause of your nightmares?" He pried, examining Hinata's face.

Hinata opened her mouth to talk but quickly closed it. Shaking her head she told him, "Look Doc... I told you downstairs…"

"You're right, I apologize." Doppler interrupted, standing up from the bed and letting Jack float beside him. "I shouldn't have pushed you when you weren't ready. I let my curiosity get the best of me."

Hinata gave him a small smile as she stood from her seat. "Thanks."

Doppler nodded and walked towards the bedroom door to exit when he caught sight of Hinata's satchel. He stopped walking and cocked his head to the side, confused. "You still have your gold from Treasure Planet?"

Turning around, Hinata looked at the pile of gold in her bag. "Yeah," She chuckled, turning back around to face the doctor. "I had this idea of buying a ship with it. I thought it would be good to have one whenever…" She motioned her hands upwards. "You know." She frowned and glanced back at the gold before admitting. "Maybe that's just silly of me though. Who knows when I'll ever be able to use it?"

Doppler shook his head. "I don't find it silly at all. In fact, I find that idea to be rather brilliant. I'm sure that Riku of yours is searching for a way to find you as much as you are to find him." Hinata looked up at him with a hope flickering in her eyes as he continued. "If that's so, it's only a matter of time until the border to this galaxy is broken again and you'll need a ship."

Hinata smiled and looked back at her pile of gold. Nodding her head, she smirked and said. "You know what? You're right; I'm going to go find a mechanic today." She turned back to the doctor and unexpectedly wrapped her arms around him for a hug. "Thank you." She told him, once she pulled away.

Taken aback from the sudden contact, Doppler straightened his robe and nodded his head. "You're quite welcome." With a smile, he pulled the door farther open and said. "Now, I best be going. There is much to be done for the oncoming litter of children and I've barely done a thing."

Hinata chuckled, grabbing her satchel and swinging it over her shoulder. "Yeah, Amelia told me that you only have six weeks until they're here. Do you know how many you are having yet?"

Heading out of the room, they began walking down the stairs as Doppler informed her. "At the last appointment at the hospital I believe they said there would be four. We are waiting to find out the genders though."

"That's amazing." Hinata smiled. As they reached the first floor of the home she commented. "I can't believe both of you will be parents in a matter of a couple months."

"It's hard to believe myself." Amelia spoke up, pulling herself to stand from the couch. She noticed Hinata's satchel and asked. "Are you heading out as well?"

Hinata nodded. "Yeah, I've got some shopping to do in the market."

"Understood," Amelia nodded and then told her. "Make sure to be at the training building at ten-hundred hours sharp for combat practice."

Putting her hand to her forehead, Hinata half saluted. "Yes, Ma'am, I'm looking forward to it." Waving at them she said. "I'll see you both later!"

"You don't want to ride with us on the carriage?" Doppler called after her.

Without stopping her walk towards the exit, Hinata turned around and shrugged. "No thanks. I could really use the exercise. Thanks though!" She turned back around and jogged to the front door.

Pushing open the large double doors, she was met with a bright beam of sunlight. She smiled as it warmed her face and quickly closed the door behind her. Jack floated beside her, his pink tongue hanging out the side of his mouth as he wagged his tail. Together they walked down the long stone pathway that led to town, black street lights lining their road. Hinata took in all the sights around her as they walked, enjoying having some nice alone-time outside in the environment. Soon they made their way to the streets of the marketplace that was teeming with excitement. Aliens of all different shapes and sizes stood outside their shops, yelling out advertisements for their items. Colorful banners waved in the sky with words written in languages Hinata couldn't even begin to decipher. She weaved as best she could through the crowds, trying to steer clear from the sales-creatures. Jack floated close to her, his tail wagging violently, wanting to fly about to explore; but Hinata's hand firm on his back told him otherwise.

Hinata tightly held onto her satchel, making sure no one was trying to take it from her. The longer she walked, the more she began getting shoved by random pedestrians who were hurriedly trying to get to their destination. Before she knew it, she was pushed to the edge of the market place. She momentarily stopped walking so she could catch her breath; scanning the area for a safe haven for her to relax. Along the edge of the crowd she caught sight of a brick alley and a small smile crept on her face.

"Come on Jack, this way." She told him, carefully making her way over to it while Jack followed close behind. Within the next couple of minutes that made it to the alley and Hinata leaned against the brick wall with a sigh of relief. "I don't even know where to begin to look for a good mechanic." She shook her head to Jack with a laugh. "Maybe I should have brought Jim along."

Catching her breath, she slid to the ground and watched the crowds of aliens bustle outside her safe haven. Then in the distance she heard the faint sound of a drill buzzing over the sound of the market place. Hinata stood and turned her head to look for the source of the sound. She walked further down the alley and the drill gradually got louder as she went. Taking a few more steps she reached a corner and beyond it she found a shop, seemingly built into the wall. Hinata crossed her arms and stared at the old looking building. Above the black doored entrance was a sign that simply read 'Mechanic'.

Hinata glanced over at Jack and commented. "Well, we were looking for a mechanic." Shrugging, she walked forward and made her way to the entrance of the strange shop.

She pushed the creaky door open to reveal a dusty lobby and was instantly met with the strong scent of grease and oil; causing her to cough. The drill was louder but went in spurts, disrupting a girl's voice singing further back in the shop. Walking further into the room, she found herself in the dimly lit lobby in front of a counter covered with paperwork. Beyond the counter was a large room filled with various parts of ships and loose wires strewn across the floor.

Walking up to the counter, Hinata leaned her hands on it and called out, "Um… hello?

Her voice was drowned out by the loud sounds already coming from inside the large room beyond the lobby. Hinata stood there for a moment and looked over at Jack. His tail was down and he looked warily around them. She glanced back at the exit of the store and considered leaving altogether when the girl's singing voice grew louder.

Hinata crossed her arms and mused. "Call me crazy, but that singing voice doesn't sound like it would belong to a mechanic." Jack lightly barked in response and Hinata placed her tongue in her cheek, weighing her options. With a sigh, she pushed herself over the counter and walked into the next room, saying. "Might as well see what's going on."

The next room was dimly lit and the ceiling towered above; causing the slightest noise to echo in the vast emptiness of the almost factory-like area. Hinata slowly spun as she walked, getting a good look at her surroundings.

"This place did not seem this big outside." She mumbled to Jack, before stopping when she reached a metal fence.

She stood on the edge of a ledge in front of a thick fence. Inside the trench was an oddly shaped ship that almost seemed to be a mismatch of different vessels put together. On the top of it was an opened hatch with sparks occasionally spraying out of it whenever the drill would start back up; covering up the singing that was also coming from the ship.

Waiting until the drill paused, Hinata called out again. "Hello?"

The singing immediately stopped after the sound of Hinata's voice echoed through the vast room. Without warning, a girl wearing thick goggles over her eyes popped up from the hatch and looked bewildered down at Hinata. Her turquoise eyes were visible even through the dusty eyewear. They stared at each other in awkward silence for a moment before the girl grinned and pulled off her goggles; ruffling her already chopping lavender hair in the process.

"Well look at you!" The girl chimed. "I just can't believe you're here!"

Hinata arched an eyebrow at the girl in confusion and asked, "Excuse me?"

Tossing her goggles aside, the girl lifted a fist into the air and turned away, yelling, "Oye James! You're never going to believe it! We have a customer!"

"You're joking!" A male teen's voice called back as hurried footsteps approached.

Hinata backed away a couple steps as a well-built man with lavender hair put up in a half pony-tail jogged up to her. He looked to be about the same age as Hinata with the same bright turquoise eyes as the girl in the ship. The sleeves of his navy blue shirt were rolled up to his biceps and gradually fell further down his arms as he ran.

Slowing to a stop once he reached Hinata, he looked her over and smirked. "And quite the beautiful customer too."

Hinata's cheeks blushed profusely as the young girl scoffed, "Now don't you start James!" With ease, she pulled herself out of the cockpit of the ship she had been working on and made her way onto the ledge Hinata and James were standing on. She also wore a navy blue shirt but it was cut short and exposed most of her midriff and green shorts hugged her thin hips. Taking off her grease-stained gloves she greeted, "My name's Samantha, Sam for short; welcome to our shop." She smiled at Hinata before shoving James, "And ignore my brother, he hits on anything that breaths."

James rolled his eyes and ruffled Sam's hair despite the look she gave him.

"This is your shop?" Hinata asked confused.

Sam fixed her hair before standing proudly, "Sure is! Don't let my age fool you, I'm the best mechanic on Montressor! You want something built, I'm the girl to call!"

Hinata shook her head as she looked the girl over; she was about the height of Kairi maybe even a little bit shorter and had the appearance of a young teen. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen right now." Sam admitted, "But I'll be turning fifteen in a couple months."

Without letting Hinata respond, James went straight to business. "Now what would the most beautiful girl on Montressor want today? I'm free for coffee later."

Hinata crossed her arms, regaining her bearings and scoffed, "Yeah, I think I'll pass on that. I'm not really available." Looking away from his disappointed face, she addressed Sam. "I was looking for someone who would be willing to build me my own ship; like a custom one."

Sam crossed her arms and gave Hinata a once-over. "I'm the girl for the job but you have to have to be able to pay for it in advance. This is a big job."

Smirking, Hinata pulled out her satchel and opened it for James and Sam to see. "Yeah, that won't be a problem."

The siblings gawked at the pile of gold coins and shining gems in Hinata's bag. Both of them glanced over at each other wide eyed before Sam blurted, "We'll do it!'

"Wait, wait," James interceded, waving his hands in front of him. "How exactly did you come to get your hands on so much gold?"

Hinata closed her satchel and placed it back on her shoulder before defending. "That's my business. It's nothing illegal if that's what you're thinking."

James eyed Hinata and looked over at his younger sister. "Are you sure you're up for this? Building a custom ship?"

Sam was about to respond but quickly closed her mouth and smiled at Hinata. "Would you excuse us for a moment?"

"Um, sure?" Hinata shrugged, turning away as Sam dragged her brother out of hearing range.

Once they were out of ear-shot, Sam whispered to her brother. "What do you mean, 'am I up for it'? Did you not see how much gold she had?"

"Yeah Sam, but you haven't built a custom ship since dad was here." He told her. "Ever since he died you've been doing simple repairing jobs for his old customers."

"Exactly," Sam agreed, "With this job we could finally turn this place around! You know I'm a good enough mechanic! I'm better than most of those other sleaze-jobs out there."

"Sam…" James sighed.

"James, please," She pleaded. "Don't you trust your sis?"

He stared at her with an unconvinced look in his eyes but eventually sighed, "Alright, if you think you can do it, I'll trust you."

Sam squealed and wrapped her hands around James, pulling him into a tight hug. He patted his hands against her back until she released him.

Overflowing with excitement, Sam scurried back to Hinata and beamed. "We'll do it! Like for real!"

Hinata turned to face them and smiled. "Great!" James walked up with a smile on his face, joining the other girls. They stood there in silence for a moment until Hinata spoke up. "So… what do I need to do now?"

Sam's eyes widened. "Oh right!" She snapped her fingers and turned to her brother. "James, get the paperwork!" She turned and ran towards a far off hallway on the other side of the room. "I'll go get the graph paper to sketch the ship!"

James watched Sam run off and chuckled. "I haven't seen her this excited in a long time."

Wanting to get to business, Hinata asked. "So, paperwork?"

"Oh yeah," He remembered before turning to walk towards the lobby. As he turned he caught sight of Jack floating behind Hinata. He stopped and looked quizzically at him, before asking. "Where did you get him? I've seen all sorts of pets but nothing like that."

"Oh um…" Hinata stammered, "I got him as a gift. His name's Jack."

Jack peeked out from behind Hinata and glanced up. James smiled and patted Jack on the head. "Well nice to meet you Jack." He looked up at Hinata and smirked. "And you never told me your name, beautiful."

Hinata shook her head and placed her tongue in her cheek. "I guess since you guys will be building my ship I should at least tell you my name…" She sighed. "It's Hinata. And I'm serious; I'm not available, so you can stop hitting on me."

"That's a lovely name, Hinata." He smiled before turning to get the paperwork. "And just because you're taken doesn't mean I can't be interested!" He called behind him.

Crossing her arms, Hinata scoffed and looked around the factory she found herself in. "I can't believe I'm having them of all people build my ship." She whispered to Jack before chuckling. "I must be crazy."

James swiftly came back with a pile of papers in one hand and a pen in the other. Holding them out for Hinata, he told her. "Here is the paperwork, my fair lady."

Hinata held in a groan as she grabbed the daunting pile. "Great… this will only take me forever."

James chuckled, "You can use the desk in the study to fill it out or you can do it at home and bring it back later. Whatever's the most convenient. Or we could fill it out together, you know, over…"

"If you're about to ask me out again I swear I will punch you." Hinata interrupted, not looking away from the papers.

Clearing his throat, James stammered, "Uh… no, no I was not. I was just going to suggest… nothing." Crossing his arms, he stayed silent as Hinata scanned through the pile in her hands. After a few minutes he asked. "Do you even know how to punch?"

"Ask me out again and you'll find out." Hinata muttered, glancing up momentarily with a smirk.

"Finally, I found it!" Sam called out, running back with an armful of rolled up graph paper. "You ready to design your dream ship?"

Hinata looked up from the papers with a smile. "You mean we can design before I fill all this stuff out?"

Sam shrugged, "Sure why not? It's my shop so I don't see why I can't bend the rules."

"It's our shop." James corrected. "But yeah, you can worry about the paperwork later."

"Great!" Hinata smiled. "Let's get started."

Sam turned and led Hinata along the ledge to the far corner of the room, where there was a work bench with a desk. She placed one of the many graph papers on the flat top and rolled it out flat, placing small tools on the edges to keep it down. Grabbing a nearby pen, her and Hinata began sketching out ideas for a possible ship.

"Now exactly how big do you want this thing?" Sam asked, "With that amount of gold, the sky is basically the limit."

"I definitely want it big," Hinata informed her, leaning her back against the desk and crossing her arms. "Have you seen the RLS Legacy ship?"

Sm almost dropped her pen and stammered, "Have I? That's the ship that went on the Treasure Planet expedition! That is one of the best ships in the entire armada! You want something like that?"

"Maybe not as extravagant as that particular ship," Hinata admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed. "But something like that design. Has the body of a boat and has rooms below deck."

"Alright," Sam nodded, a little uncertain. "Do you want it made of wood like the Legacy? You would have to get that refurbished pretty often."

Hinata shook her head, "Nah, maybe we can do metal instead… but since I have all the money in the world for this, can we put carpet in the rooms?"

"Carpet?" Sam asked, putting her pen down, "We can, but I'll have to hire someone to put that in. I work with metal and grease, not that fru-fru stuff."

"And is there a way we can design it where it only takes a small crew to fly, maybe even only one or two people?" Hinata added.

"Oh yeah, that will be easy." Sam told her. "Since we are making it mostly out of metal, I can even make the sails open and retract with the touch of a button. I mean, if we are making a smaller version of the Legacy and not a full size one."

"Yeah, I only want about two to three bedrooms in the lower decks and they only have to be big enough to fit beds honestly." Hinata shrugged.

"You're pretty specific about what you want." James noted, walking to stand in front of Hinata while Sam sketched.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Hinata asked.

James shrugged, "Yeah, but why the RLS Legacy? There are thousands of different ships out there, all different styles. So why did you choose that one?"

Hinata sighed, "Because it is the only ship I've ridden on from this galaxy."

Sam dropped her pen and looked up at Hinata as James's eyes widened. "You've ridden the RLS Legacy?!" Sam exclaimed.

"And you have all that gold…" James muttered, placing his hand to his chin, before he realized. "You were part of the expedition to Treasure Planet?!"

Hinata's cheeks flushed as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Sort of…"

"That's amazing!" Sam beamed, standing up from her chair. "I read the stories about that place in the paper. The planet itself sounded unbelievable!"

"It was." Hinata agreed. "I have never seen so much treasure in all my life."

"Woah…" James said breathlessly. "I can't believe you were actually there."

"So you know Jim Hawkins then?" Sam asked.

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, I met him on it. He's pretty cool."

"Are you guys friends?" She inquired, her cheeks lightly dusting pink.

Shrugging, Hinata told her. "I think so. We hang out sometimes when he's on shore leave from the Interstellar Academy. Why? Do you know him?"

Before Sam could answer, a large clock hanging on the wall above the desk began to ding loudly, alerting them that the next hour had approached. Hinata's eyes widened as she quickly turned around and looked up at the clock. She couldn't understand the strange alien numbers on its face and asked. "What time does that say? And please don't say ten."

Sam looked at her in confusion before looking up at the clock. "Sorry, it says ten." She told her apologetically.

"She is going to kill me!" Hinata pushed herself off the desk and rushed to grab her satchel. "Hey, look you guys. I really need to go to something, but I promise I'll be back afterwards alright?"

"What, where?" James asked, taking a few steps towards her.

"Let her go James." Same told him, placing her hand on his arm. "We'll see you soon… um I don't think you told me your name."

"Hinata," She told her quickly. "I'll be back I promise! Bye!" She called behind her as she rushed out of the store, Jack following close behind.

She ran out of the alley and back into the bustling crowd of the marketplace, pushing her way through as fast as she could. Jack floated right by her side, trying to lead the way. Longer than she would have liked, she made her way out of the market entirely and ran along a dirt road.

"I can't believe I lost track of time!" Hinata scolded herself as she ran. "I am so late!" As she ran she caught sight of a construction site in the distance. Jack began flying towards the sight until Hinata grabbed his tail to stop him. She slowed to a walk momentarily to look at the wooden frame and told Jack. "There's the Benbo Inn. Apparently it belongs to Jim's mom, Sarah. It should be done within the next couple months." She looked back at the inn, before breaking back into a run with Jack following close behind.

Farther down the path, once she was fully past the inn she reached a huge campus with a large sign out front labeled, 'Montressor Academy'. Catching her breath once she reached the sign, Hinata leaned her hands on her knees and looked around the campus. Large white buildings stood tall next to each other in a straight line in front of a landing station for student's ships. Hinata stood back up straight and jogged into the academy towards a building in the center of the line with silver letters plastered above the door, 'Training Building'. Taking a deep breath, Hinata grabbed the door knob and pulled the door open.

The room was lit by a chandelier hanging from the tall ceiling, shining a crystal light over the wooden interior of the building. Thick wood columns went from the ceiling to the floor, somewhat sectioning off the separate parts of the area. In the far back was the weapons area where racks filled with blades were placed against the wall. While along the right was the gun station, where guns were displayed on the wall and there was a thick glassed-off room where students could do target practice. Hinata gulped when she saw Captain Amelia standing against the wall with her arms crossed next to another feline-like woman; both of which seemed tense in stature. Taking a deep breath, Hinata walked towards them and was about to apologize when Amelia spoke first.

"You're late." She simply told her.

Hinata rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably. "Yes, I'm so sorry. I… lost track of time."

"You're here now, so let's get started." The other feline-woman spoke up, her black cat ears flat upon her head.

Surprised, Hinata turned to look at the woman. Her fur was a glossed black with a white spot over her right eye and hand. Her bright blue eyes scanned Hinata as they stared at each other. Her arms were crossed over her simple white shirt as she tapped her bare foot on the wooden floor.

Amelia nodded her head and introduced, "Hinata, meet one of my prized students, Colette. She will be your opponent for today."

Hinata inclined her head and smiled uneasily. "Pleasure to meet you; sorry I'm late, I'm not usually…"

"Make up for it by fighting." Colette interrupted her, pushing herself off the wall. "Now let's begin."

"Alright then," Hinata shrugged, placing her satchel on the floor before undoing her belt around her waist and pulling off her vest.

She tossed her extra clothes to the side and got into a fighting stance. Colette stared at her as she readied and the moment she look prepared, Colette lunged forward and tried to jab Hinata in the face. Hinata ducked and tried to spin out of the way, clumsily tripping over her feet in the process. She quickly regained her balance, as her opponent gave her time to recover and tried to right-hook her hand into Colette's side. The cat however, was quick to respond and instead slammed her fist into Hinata's shoulder while she was distracted, causing her to stumble back with a contorted face of pain. Hinata rolled her shoulder and winced, trying to get through the sting.

"It's important to always be on the defense, Hinata." Amelia told her. "Even when attacking."

Hinata nodded, and readied her fists again, ready to give it another go. Her and Colette exchanged blows, Colette getting more successful hits than her. Many times, Hinata would stumble over her foot work or her punches would come off as weak.

After several minutes of the fight, Colette backed up and asked, "Do you have no experience with fighting?"

Hinata wiped some sweat from her face before answering. "I do, but with dao swords. I've never learned hand-to-hand."

Colette nodded and walked up to Hinata, causing her to get tense. She reached and grabbed Hinata's hand and clenched it into a fist for her. Holding up her own fist she explained, "Whether you are throwing a punch or defending, it's important to keep your fists in front of your face. That is what needs the most protecting." Hinata nodded as she continued. "Your legs are what make a hit have more strength. Widen your stance a bit when you attack." Taking a couple steps back she asked. "Alright?"

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, thanks."

Following her orders, Hinata widened her stance and kept her fists close to her face as they attacked. She was finally able to get a few good hits on Colette, causing her to get a little bit of pride laced into her movements. Colette jabbed her fist towards Hinata's throat, but Hinata was able to spin out of the way without tripping over her footing. Once she was facing forward again, Hinata shot her hand forward towards her opponent's waist and landed the hit. She momentarily lowered her other hand to move to another position, when Colette's hand hooked right into her eye.

Staggering backwards from the unexpected and immense pain, Hinata placed one of her hands over her eye and let out a few pained grunts through her clenched teeth.

"Hinata, are you alright?" Amelia asked in concern, rushing to Hinata's side.

Hinata stood back up straight and placed her hand back down to her side. Clearing her throat she stammered. "Yeah, just… wasn't expecting that."

"I think that's enough training for today." Amelia ordered. "We shall resume tomorrow."

Colette bowed slightly to her teacher before looking to Hinata and telling her. "You need to remember to keep your fists up as protection."

Nodding and biting her tongue, Hinata simply stayed silent and waited for both the feline women to leave the building before letting out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Her head was beginning to pound but she shook it off and began putting her vest and belt back on. She grabbed her satchel and nodded to Jack, who had been waiting patiently for the training to end. He floated up and lightly licked Hinata's cheek, in which she winced in response.

"I'm fine Jack," She told him. "Let's get back to that mechanic shop."

Shaking her head once more, to get rid of the pain, they exited the training room. Without a word said, they made their way back to the marketplace and once again weaved through the aliens. Hinata noticed many of them giving her strange almost worried looks as she walked past them; but she ignored them as she entered the brick alleyway and found the old mechanic shop. She sighed as she pulled open the door and entered the dimly lit lobby. Sam was in room behind the counter, now clear of paperwork, talking to a tall green alien with four arms.

She grinned as she saw the door open and called out, "There she is! Back from… What in the world happened to your face?"

Hinata stopped walking and her cheeks flushed as Sam stared wide eyed at her. The alien turned around and gasped when he saw her face.

"I'm here for the ship?" Hinata asked, getting straight to business.

Reluctantly, Sam pointed behind her towards the factory. "Uh yeah, James is back there. He can help you."

Forcing a smile, Hinata went past the counter into the vast factory. She only took a few steps in when she heard James's footsteps approaching.

"Ah, there you are, beautiful!" He said called running up. "I was wonder…" He stopped abruptly and his mouth fell open when he saw Hinata's face. "Are you alright?" He asked once he regained his speech.

Hinata deeply sighed before asking. "Is it really that bad?"

James rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, "Uh… yeah, it's pretty bad." Reaching down, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him. "Come on, I'll show you."

Immediately pulling away her hand, Hinata scowled at James but still followed him. He led her across the factory to a bathroom and opened the door for her before flicking on the ceiling light. Hinata looked into the mirror above the sink to see that her left eye was completely swollen as blue and purple hues blended together around half her face. Without reacting much, Hinata simply turned around and walked out of the bathroom, lightly pushing past James.

"Do you have some ice?" She asked him, once he closed the door to the bathroom.

"Uh, yeah, come on, I'll take you to the kitchen." He told her, walking ahead.

"You have a kitchen here?" She asked, following him. "Is this some sort of house business?"

"Something like that." He shrugged, walking into a white tiled kitchen with a counter island in the center.

Hinata sat down on one of the wooden stools in front of the island as James opened an old freezer and pulled out a blue ice pack. Jack floated around the room, examining it as they talked. James walked over to Hinata and gently placed the ice over her eye before she waved him away and held onto it herself. James held up his hands in surrender, letting Hinata take the pack from him and leaned against the counter beside her.

After a few moments of silence Hinata muttered, "Thanks, for the ice."

"Anything for you, beautiful." James told her with a sweet smile.

"Do you just flirt with every girl you see?" Hinata asked, shaking her head.

"No," he admitted. "Honestly, I only hit on you at first because you were human."

"I take it you're not into aliens?" She asked.

"I am, I've dated a few of them." He shrugged. "But for once I'd like to try dating someone of my species. There are hardly any humans here on Montressor though; especially ones that look like you." He winked at her.

"You know, would it kill you to go an entire conversation without hitting on me?" She asked in exasperation. "If you keep this up, I will tell my boyfriend about this."

"If you have a boyfriend, why didn't he come with you here?" He asked, crossing his arms. "He sent his one-of-a-kind girl out into a marketplace full of crooks all by herself?"

Hinata scoffed, "I'm not some one-of-a-kind girl and I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, that shiner you got there really proves that." James shrugged.

"I didn't just get in a random fight," She explained. "I'm learning hand-to-hand and my opponent got a cheap shot."

"Why are you learning hand-to-hand?" James asked curiously. "Why would a girl need to learn that?"

"Weren't you the one that just said this place is full of crooks?" She asked. "And why are you asking all the questions? What about you and your sister?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, a fourteen year old girl and I'm guessing sixteen year old guy running a mechanic shop? That doesn't strike you as odd?"

"There aren't any schooling laws on this planet, so kids can drop out of school to make a living for themselves whenever they want." He explained.

"Yeah, but it's more than that here." Hinata noted. "Sam's too smart to just drop out of school for no reason."

"What, and I'm not?" James pretended to be offended.

"I don't know enough about you yet to tell." She defended. "Why are you guys running this place by yourselves?"

James sighed and averted his eyes. "This place used to be owned by our dad. He was the talk around all of Montressor. If any ship had a problem, my dad was the one to fix it. He taught Sam all she knows." Turning around, he leaned his palms against the edge of the counter. "But then one weekend he went out on his solar ship and never came back. Some people say he left us, ran away from family responsibility; but I don't know… he would never do that. He cared too much about us to just abandon us."

"What do you think happened?" Hinata asked.

"Sam and I think he was killed by pirates." He explained. "Pirates are always raiding random people." He pushed himself off the counter and paced the room. "After he was gone though, almost all the customers my dad had just left for other mechanics. Only a few close friends stayed faithful and even then they only come for small jobs."

"So… after your dad left, Sam dropped out of school?"

James nodded, "We didn't have much choice. My mom has been in this depression rut since dad died and the only thing keeping us afloat is this place."

"Wow…" Hinata muttered. "I'm sorry that happened."

James shrugged and leaned against the wall. "That's the story of most families on Montressor; especially human ones. We're the minority here." He sighed before pushing himself off the wall, "I don't know why I just told you all of that…" He shook his head. "I'm going to go get your paperwork.

Hinata turned and watched him leave before saying to Jack. "I wonder if that's why it felt so right to hire them." Jack floated beside her and licked the top of her ice pack.

"Ah, good, I'm glad you got some ice!" Sam chimed, walking into the kitchen and sitting beside Hinata. "You ready to fill out that thrilling paperwork?"

Chuckling, Hinata replied, "Oh yea, it's going to be just great."

They laughed as James brought the papers back in and they all worked together to fill out the pile. It began as a long boring process, but the longer they talked the more comfortable Hinata became. Within the next couple of hours they were finally done and Hinata's stomach growled with hunger.

"I guess it is getting close to lunch." Hinata commented. "I should probably get going."

"You're welcome to eat with us." Sam offered.

"Thanks, but I should be getting home." She told them. "I'll come by tomorrow."

"Why?" James asked, before putting up his hands, "I mean, I'm not objecting."

Hinata shrugged, "I don't know, honestly. I don't have to."

"No, I would actually really appreciate it." Sam clarified. "I hope you do!"

"Well alright then," Hinata smiled. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." She was about to turn when she looked at James and told him. "And don't try flirting with me tomorrow, alright?"

"Whatever you say, beautiful." James smirked, getting elbowed in the ribs by Sam.

Rolling her eyes, Hinata motioned her head for Jack and he followed her out of the factory. They made their way once again through the busy crowds and down the stone road that led back to Doppler's large home. Hinata yawned as she walked inside the warm house and immediately made her way to the kitchen. She made herself some food before retreating to her room with Jack upstairs. Sitting at her desk, she ate her food and took out her journal to write about the day's events. She stayed in her room the rest of the day, watching the world outside go back to their homes for the night that swiftly approached. Hinata's eyes were incredibly heavy as well as one being swollen with pain. She laid back on the blue comforter as Jack easily fell asleep on the edge of the bed. Reaching over to her bedside table she grabbed her Journey Journal and held it in front of her. She opened it, like she did every night and looked through the pictures. On the first page was her, Kairi, and Riku sitting on the paopu tree watching the sunset like they did every night.

"It always feels like something is missing, every time I look at this." Hinata ran her finger lightly over Riku's picture and whispered, "Maybe I'm just missing Riku."

Holding the book to her chest, Hinata's eyes closed and she drifted into an unintentional sleep. Within the first few hours of her sleep she began to stir, tossing the book off the bed. Beads of sweat formed on her skin as she tossed and turned, rustling the covers.

"No… please, stop." She whimpered in her sleep, a tear falling down her cheek. "Riku….don't," She mumbled a little bit louder choking back more tears.

Awoken from the commotion, Jack was up from his slumber and whining by Hinata's face as he tried to awaken her. He licked her face but was unintentionally slapped away from Hinata when her movements became erratic.

"No!" Hinata screamed, instantly sitting up. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks and she planted her face in her hands, only to immediately retract from the bruise around her eye. Jack whimpered with his ears flat against his head as he tried to comfort her. "Why is this happening?" Hinata cried, shivering from the sudden shock of waking up abruptly and her heart drumming rapidly in her ears.

"Hinata?" Doppler's voice was heard through the door. "Are you alright?" When Hinata didn't answer, he lightly knocked and slowly opened the door. "I was eating dinner when I heard you scream." His eyes widened when he saw Hinata's state.

The pillows and covers of the bed had been strewn around the room and Hinata sat in the center of the bed, trying to recover from crying. Doppler immediately rushed to the bed and sat on the edge of it.

"Hinata…" He began.

"I haven't slept in three months." She interrupted him, staring down at her hands. "I'll take those sleeping aides."

Doppler looked at Hinata with concern, but nodded his head. "Alright, I'll get you some prescription pills tomorrow." He examined her condition before correcting. "Actually, I'll go right now. You need some sleep tonight."

He was about to leave when Hinata asked, "Why do the nightmares keep happening? I have them every night, and this one was worse than usual."

"I-I don't know." He admitted. "All I know from personal experience is that sometimes we can go through something so traumatic, our subconscious has a difficult time accepting it. As a result it continues to replay it in our dreams, as if it's trying to make sense of it."

"Well, I wish my mind would just get over itself already." Hinata complained, trying to laugh, but her voice broke.

"The medicine will help." He told her. "And a listening friend isn't such a bad idea either."

Hinata sniffled, her body calming down, and nodded. "You're right. Maybe I do just need to talk about it with someone."

"Well, you are always welcomed to talk with me, but I understand if you need some time after…" His voice trailed off and he cleared his throat. "Like I said, I am going to go get you some medicine right now. You are welcomed to head downstairs if you wish. Amelia is enjoying her evening tea."

Hinata smiled. "She drinks tea all day doesn't she?"

Doppler nodded, "Yes, she does drink it rather often." He smiled and placed his hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?"

Reluctantly, Hinata nodded, "I will be."


	7. Borders

Chapter 7

Hinata pushed open the black door that led into the dim lobby of the mechanic shop. She stretched her strained muscles; sore from combat class she had just finished before coming to visit her new friends. A week had passed since she first met the oddball siblings and she had been to see them every day to check up on the progress of her ship. As she walked past the front counter into the large factory beyond she could see bright sparks flying into the air behind a large metal frame in the center of the room.

"Hey Sam!" She called, once she was farther in the room.

The sparks stopped and within seconds, Sam's lavender head popped out from behind the metal with large goggles over her eyes. With a grin, she pulled off her goggles and made her way over to Hinata. "Welcome back, Hinata!" She chimed. "How did practice go today?"

Hinata smiled back and nodded. "Really good. I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of hand-to-hand." She clenched her hand in front of her and chuckled. "Don't tell Amelia that though, she would probably tell Colette to go harder on me."

"Hey, beautiful!" James greeted, walking up with an armful of paperwork. "Always good to see you."

With a sigh, Hinata simply inclined her head towards James with a strained smile. She watched him bring the paperwork to the desk against the wall and asked. "What's all that for?"

Wiping his hands once the papers were down, he told her. "I finished the list of parts we need for your ship."

Hinata's eyes widened. "You need to order that many?"

Sam walked past Hinata and looked over the papers on the desk. "Considering the size of it, this isn't actually that much to order. Plus with all that gold you paid, it will be easy to get all this." With a sigh she looked up and continued. "Now I just need to go into town and find the parts. We might have to end up ordering a few parts from the Space Port."

"Are you going now?" Hinata asked, crossing her arms.

Glancing back at the metal frame in the center of the room, Sam shrugged. "Might as well. I've done all I can with the resources we have."

Hinata nodded, "Alright, I'll come with you if that's alright."

"You sure you don't want to stay here with me?" James asked, stepping forward.

"I think I'll pass." Hinata told him. "For all I know, you would try to turn me being alone with you into some sort of date."

James sighed. "You know me too well." He shrugged. "Can't blame a guy for trying." He looked over at Sam. "Are you sure you want to do it? I don't mind running out to order everything."

Sam shook her head. "Nah, it's fine. I would like to get out of the shop for once." She swept up the papers and straightened the pile, before telling Hinata. "And you're welcome to come along."

Hinata smiled. "Great!" She reached to her side and pulled out her satchel, opening it. "Here, you can stash those papers in here."

"Thanks," She nodded, putting the papers inside. As she pulled back her hands she caught sight of a large book inside the bag. "What book are you reading?" She asked.

Looking inside the satchel, Hinata explained. "Oh it's not really a book. It's more of a photo album of sorts. Now all that most of the gold is gone, it freed up some space and I bring this along with me everywhere I go."

"You bring a picture book with you everywhere?" James asked, crossing his arms. "Why?"

Hinata shrugged, "It's just nice to have I guess. I haven't really thought about it." She closed her bag and swung it back over her shoulder. "You ready then?" She asked Sam.

Nodding, Sam turned to her brother. "Watch the shop while we're gone alright? We shouldn't be too long."

"Alright, sis." He answered. "Be careful."

"I always am!" Sam called behind her, already making her way to the exit of the shop.

Hinata half-smiled at James and waved, before jogging after her new friend. She followed Sam out of the shop into the bright planet outside. The sun was high in the sky at mid-day and the echo of the bustling market could be heard through the alley.

Closing the door behind them, Sam asked. "You didn't bring Jack with you today?"

They began to walk out of the alley and as they moved Hinata shook her head. "No, he's with Doc. They are checking on the progress of the rebuilding of the Benbo Inn."

Sam nodded in response as they continued to walk out of the alley and entered the busy streets of the marketplace. Hinata stayed close behind Sam as she weaved effortlessly through the crowds. Reaching back, Sam grabbed Hinata's arm and pulled her up to be beside her.

"I'll lose track of you if you stay behind me." She told her. "Just watch where you're going and you'll get the hang of it."

"I'll try." Hinata admitted, trying to follow her advice. Various aliens pushed past her, causing her to lose her way a few times before Sam finally linked her arm through Hinata's so they could keep track of each other. "Thanks." Hinata told her once they were together again.

Sam laughed and spoke loudly to drown out the loud surroundings. "You don't have much experience with these large crowds do you?"

Hinata shook her head. "Not really. I've never been somewhere that's filled with so many people."

"What planet are you from that doesn't have a lot of people?" Sam asked, leading the way through the market.

"A really, really far away one." She told her with a chuckle. "I don't think you would even recognize it."

"How did you end up here then?"

"Long story." Hinata said, before being harshly shoved by a large red alien.

She yelped surprised and stumbled forwards, causing her satchel to fall onto the ground. The top of the bag opened and a few of the papers fell onto the busy street. Hinata rushed forward to retrieve them while Sam scolded the alien.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" She yelled, holding out her fist. When the man simply ignored her, she shook her head exasperated and moved to aid Hinata in grabbing the spilled bag contents. She reached down and grabbed the satchel off the street and dusted off dirt from the bottom. The large book inside the bag caught her eye again and she reached her other hand inside to grab it. She stopped herself short when Hinata returned with the papers.

"Got them all, I think." Hinata told her, out of breath. "Sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention."

Pulling her hand back, Sam smiled and told her. "Don't worry about it, that guy should have been more careful." She waited for Hinata to place the papers back inside the bag before handing her the satchel.

Hinata placed the satchel back onto her shoulder and linked her arm with Sam's again. "Alright, let's keep moving. I'll try to watch where I'm going."

Sam smiled and led the way through the crowds until they finally reached the shop she was looking for. The front of the shop was plastered with colorful posters advertising different sales on ship parts. A tall lanky alien with green fleshy wings on his back stood in front of the shop with a large grin, showcasing his sharp set of teeth.

"Ah, welcome Samantha." He greeted them as the girls approached. "I haven't seen you here in quite some time. I was starting to think your shop had gone finally gone out of business."

"You won't be getting rid of me anytime soon, Lars." Sam retorted, "I'm building a whole new ship. Thanks to this girl, my shop will finally put my family back on the map."

Lars looked over at Hinata and eyed her with his large glassy eye, before asking. "Where would a human get enough gold to commission a custom ship?"

"I keep getting asked that." Hinata noted, not appreciating his tone. "Is it that uncommon for a human to be doing well around here?"

"On Montressor it is." Sam answered her, pulling her into the store and calling behind her. "I just need to buy a few parts, Lars. Can you have them delivered to my shop?"

"Of course, after the payment is paid in full." He replied, returning his attention to attracting more customers.

Sam led Hinata further into the shop; a small brick room, with tools lining the walls awaiting purchase. Across the area was an opened doorway that led outside to a long dirt walkway with larger ship parts spread out along the ground.

"Come on, back here we should be able to find most of the things we need." Sam motioned her head outside. "Can I have the list of parts we need?"

Hinata nodded and reached into her satchel, pulling out the pile of papers. Handing them to Sam she asked. "Does this guy have all the parts we need?"

"If not all of them, he should have most." Sam told her, looking at the list. Checking off a few pieces she spotted she commented. "My dad used to work closely with Lars and he would always save a few extra parts special for him."

"Does he still do that?" Hinata asked.

Sam sighed and shook her head. "No, when my dad left, whatever good connections our shop had were lost. You heard Lars; everyone is just waiting for us to go out of business."

"Things should change now though, right?" She asked.

Nodding, Sam replied. "Yeah…" She checked off a couple more pieces before asking. "So, I've been dying to ask. Why are you buying such a large ship?" She glanced back at Hinata and continued. "I mean, I get that you had all that gold and could get whatever you wanted; but you specifically said you wanted more than one bedroom. What are you planning on doing with the ship when it's done?"

Hinata remained silent for a moment as they continued walking through the parts field, figuring out what to say. When Sam looked back at her, she admitted. "I… I don't really know. I mean, I have places I want to go and people I want to see; but even with this ship I don't really have a way to get to them." She clasped her hands in front of her and finished. "I guess I just want a ship in case I ever get the chance to leave."

Sam stopped walking and turned towards Hinata with a look of confusion plain on her face. "Okay, whatever you just said made absolutely no sense."

"Really?" She asked, her cheeks flushing. "I guess I just don't really know how to explain it."

"Well then, first off, what do you mean you don't have a way to get to the people you want to see?" Sam asked. "If you have that ship you can go anywhere in the galaxy."

"But this isn't the galaxy I want to be in." Hinata cut in.

Sam looked at Hinata in bewilderment. "What?"

Hinata sighed and placed her palm on her forehead. "Look, it's really complicated."

Crossing her arms, Sam offered, "Just tell me, I'll try to keep up."

Eyeing her with uncertainty, Hinata resigned and began explaining. "According to Doctor Doppler there is a barrier around this galaxy, separating it from the rest of the universe. A few months ago the barrier was somehow broken and people could travel freely between this galaxy and the next. Make sense so far?"

Shrugging, Sam admitted. "No, but go on."

Hinata chuckled before continuing. "While the barrier was down, a ship I was on somehow made its way into this galaxy but right around the moment that the barrier was reinstated."

"How?" Sam interrupted. "Why was the barrier down in the first place?"

"There were these creatures called Heartless that were breaking the barriers to different worlds and destroying them." Hinata explained, rubbing the back of her neck. "That's actually what happened to my home planet." Seeing the saddened look Sam gave her, she quickly added. "But anyways, there were these two people, Donald and Goofy; they were going around trying to stop the Heartless. I helped them a little bit to and so did my boyfriend, Riku… well, he sort of did but also didn't… it's complicated."

"Did you guys stop them?" Sam asked.

"I'm not sure." Hinata admitted. "I got into a bad fight and was left unconscious in my ship. Then when I regained consciousness my gummi ship was crashing and my ship's computer told me that the barrier had regained integrity. So I guess that means they stopped the Heartless."

"Damn…" Sam muttered. "Where did you crash?"

Hinata laughed lightly. "Treasure Planet."

Sam's eyes widened as she pieced everything together. "No way! So that's how you met the Treasure Planet expedition?"

Nodding, Hinata told her. "Yeah, I was there for about a month before they showed up and I've been staying with Doc and Amelia ever since."

Sam let out a large breath of disbelief and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Wait," She said, pointing a finger towards Hinata. "What happened to your boyfriend… uh Riku, I think you said his name was."

Hinata let out a deep breath and clasped her hands together in front of her. "In the other galaxy… I think."

"That's why you want the big ship." Sam pieced together, her voice back to normal tone. "You want to get back to your galaxy to find Riku and your friends."

"And my sister." Hinata mumbled and nodded. "Yeah, but there's no telling when I'll ever be able to get out of here. Doc says that the barrier around this galaxy is back up and I have no way of knowing if it will ever go down again."

"How does he know it's back up?" Sam asked. "Have either of you gone to check?"

"He said that when the barrier was down there were new stars in the sky and now they are gone." She explained. "Plus, I don't really have a way to go check myself."

Placing her free hand to her chin, Sam thought for a moment and suddenly her turquoise eyes lit up. "Okay, I have an idea but I need to finish up ordering the parts."

Hinata gave her a quizzical look but nodded her head in response. She followed Sam around the lot as she check off more parts for the ship. Within the next hour Sam had made her way through the entirety of the list and walked back up to the front of the shop where Lars was still standing.

"I trust you found everything you need?" Lars asked, as he noticed the girls returning to the front of the shop.

"Almost," Sam told him, walking up to his counter with the list of papers in her hands. "I still need a few key electrical parts but I'll just order them from the space port."

"Why not go to one of the shops down the street?" Lars told her, walking behind his counter. "They will be just as surprised as me to see you still in business."

"You kidding me?" Sam snorted. "Those sleazebags charge triple the price they should. I only come here because of dad."

Lars shrugged and took the list from Sam, to see all the parts she was going to purchase. "I'll have these delivered to the shop by tomorrow morning." He told her once he was done transferring the data. "Of course, that's if you really can pay for them."

Sam reached into a small zipped up bag on her belt and with her hand clenched; she dropped a pile of gold bars on the counter. "I trust this will cover it."

Lar's glassy eye widened as he stared at the gleaming treasure in front of him. He looked up at Hinata and asked. "Where did you get this?"

"My business." Hinata strained a smile. "Will it work?"

He eyed her, still unsure, but reluctantly nodded. "Yes, it will do. I'll have everything delivered tomorrow."

"Thanks." Sam told him shortly before turning away and waving. "See ya then."

Lars didn't respond as he reached and snatched up the gold from the table, stuffing it into his pocket. Hinata glanced back at Lars, but then fully turned around to follow Sam.

"Is there anywhere else we need to stop?" She asked Sam, jogging up to be beside her.

Sam shook her head, "Nah, I can order the pieces I need from the Space Port from the shop. So we can head back now."

Hinata smiled, "Cool. Now what was that idea you mentioned earlier?"

Smirking, Sam told her. "You have to wait until we get back to the shop."

"Oh, fine." Hinata sighed, lightly nudging Sam's shoulder.

They quickly walked back through the busy crowds, making their way to the alley. Within a few minutes they were back at the shop and Sam pulled the door open. As they entered the lobby, they saw James sitting bored at the front desk. Hearing the door open, he perked up and his turquoise eyes immediately lit up when he saw the girls walk in.

Jumping up from his seat he jogged over to them and greeted, "Welcome back!" Placing his hand on Sam's head, he asked. "Did you find everything you needed?"

Sam giggled and waved her brother's hand away. "Almost; Lars had a lot of the big stuff but I still need to order some of the smaller electrical parts from the Space Port."

He nodded and looked over to Hinata with a sweet smile and a wink but didn't say anything to her. Turning around, he motioned his hand towards the factory room beyond the lobby. "Things have been pretty quiet around here. We did get a call for a small job from Jenkins."

"Did his battery die again?" Sam sighed in exasperation. "I keep telling him that he needs to buy a better quality one…"

"So… the plan?" Hinata spoke up, reminding Sam.

"Jeez you're impatient!" Sam laughed, before jogging into the factory. "Alright, wait here while I get it ready."

"Get what ready?" James asked as Sam ran off.

"She won't tell me." Hinata informed him. "She says she has some sort of plan to help me out."

"Help you out with what?" He asked, before smirking. "Are you having guy trouble? Cause I could always help you out with that."

Hinata sighed. "I'm sure you could. But no, not guy problems."

"I'm still waiting for you to bring your so called 'boyfriend' here." He crossed his arms. "For all I know you just made him up to get me off your case."

With a chuckle, Hinata replied. "I promise you, I didn't make him up. We aren't exactly in the same place right now."

"Long distance then, huh?" He concluded. "Jeez, that must be tough. I had one of those once; didn't last long."

Hinata nodded and sighed. "I'll admit it hasn't been easy…" A small smile crept onto her face as she admitted. "But he's worth it."

James noticed her smile and his cheeks lightly blushed. With a small laugh under his breath he muttered. "He must be some guy."

"What?" She asked.

"Oh, uh, nothing…" He stammered before remarking with a smirk. "I was just thinking that you look beautiful when you smile; even more than usual."

Hinata scoffed. "Oh please, you never quit do you?"

"I can't help it!" James laughed, before examining her face. "That shiner you got last week seems to have cleared up."

Hinata reached up and lightly touched her face. "Yeah, it still hurts a little when I touch it, but the bruise is finally gone."

James smiled and nodded. "Well good. I still can't believe you're learning hand-to-hand. Does your long-distance boyfriend know about it?"

With a laugh, she informed him. "About hand-to-hand, no; but we used to spar together with swords. So he knows I can fight."

"Sparring?" He repeated, before smirking. "Did you just get into it so you could get close to him?"  
Hinata glared up at him and bit. "What? Of course not! I've been into sword fighting my whole life. I didn't even meet Riku until I was fifteen."

James put up his hands in surrender. "Yikes, okay I'm sorry; didn't mean to hit a sore spot. It's just you don't meet many girls who know about swords."

Crossing her arms and letting out a breath, Hinata nodded. "It's fine, sorry; I didn't mean to blow up like that."

They stood in an awkward silence for a couple minutes until James spoke up. "So, his name is Riku?"

Hinata glanced over at James and smiled. "Yeah"

"What's this Riku like?" He asked, leaning against the lobby desk.

Hinata opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Sam. "Okay! It's ready!" She called from the factory.

James and Hinata shrugged and each other and walked out of the lobby to meet up with Sam. They entered the vast room where they saw Sam waving them over past the large trench in the center of the area. Once they finally reached her, she stood in front of a metal ship. It was small in stature, only enough room to fit four people at the most. It seemed to be a mishmash of parts from different ships all put together to form a single vessel.

"Ta-dah!" Sam exclaimed, pointing towards the ship. "This is my very own custom ship. The first one I ever built."

Hinata looked it over as James crossed his arms and looked quizzically at Sam. "Why are you showing her this, Sam?"

Taking a couple steps forward teeming with excitement, she explained. "Hinata needs to check the galaxy border but doesn't have a way to get there; so why not use my ship?"

James put his arms down and cried out. "What? Are you crazy?"

"You would really do that?" Hinata asked, turning towards Sam. "I mean, wouldn't it take a really long time to even get there?"

Sam rushed over to a nearby deck and rolled out a large piece of paper on top. Hinata went to her side to see that a map was printed on it. It was a large circle with a grid over the top and small circles speckled inside.

Pointing to a small circle near the left edge of the map, Sam explained. "This is Montressor," Moving her finger to the edge of the large sphere map she continued. "If I had to guess, this edge represents the barrier you were talking about. I've never gone there myself because I never really had a reason or care to… but now."

"How long would the trip take us?" Hinata asked, getting excited.

"On a regular ship, probably a few weeks," She informed her, before quickly adding. "But with my homemade-girl we could get there and back again in a week tops."

"Really?" Hinata asked.

"It looks small, but the engines and power-plant were taken off an old capitol warship." Sam explained quickly, motioning her head towards her ship. "Doesn't leave a lot of room inside, but this thing has got some crazy power behind it."

"Wait, seriously," James interrupted, grabbing Sam's arm and pulling her to face him. "There is no way you are going out on that thing." Sam was about to object as she glared up at him, but he continued. "Neither of us has flown without dad coming along."

"Well dad isn't here anymore!" Sam bit, pulling away her arm. "He left us remember?" Motioning her hand towards Hinata, who was standing uncomfortably in silence, Sam pointed out. "We finally get someone who can turn our lives around and she needs help! I'm going to do everything I can to help."

"He didn't just leave Sam, you know that." James responded, trying to stay calm. "What if the same thing that happened to dad happens to you and Hinata, huh? Pirates are all over this quadrant and that ship of yours doesn't even have a plasma cannon." Placing his hand on Sam's shoulder he softly told her. "I don't want anything to happen to you, sis."

Sam glared and pushed her brother's hand off of her. "I'm tired of just sitting here, scared that pirates or something is going to kill us if we ever go outside! This ship has just been sitting here since dad helped me build it. It's never gone out for a flight once! I live here working on all these ships but never get to fly them. Do you have any idea how irritating that is?"

"Sam…" James started.

"No, I'm going to take this ship out to the border." She cut him off. "And if pirates really do attack that's fine; beats staying in this hell-hole the rest of my life!" With that, she abruptly turned around and stormed off.

James sighed once she was out of sight and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She can really be hotheaded sometimes."

"James…" Hinata started. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to get in the way."

Glancing over at her, James half-smiled and told her. "Don't worry, maybe she's right. It's been almost a year since dad died; maybe it is time for us to leave. Sam can handle herself on a ship…" He took a deep breath. "I just don't think I could handle losing someone again. I know my mom definitely couldn't."

"Look, we won't go anywhere." Hinata shook her head, "I'll find some other way…"

"No, you two should go." James interrupted. "I might not like it, but Sam belongs in space. She was born to fly. Keeping her grounded is only going to make things worse."

Hinata smiled. "Thanks."

James smiled back and they stared at each other in silence for a moment before James cleared his throat and asked. "So, why exactly are you wanting to go to the galaxy border? I'm not even sure that type of thing exists."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Hinata explained. "It's a long story. Basically, I'm not from this galaxy and I landed on Treasure Planet by mistake; but even that I'm back in civilization I still can't go back to my galaxy because the borders are back up. So Sam suggested we go check to make sure the borders are actually up." She paused for a moment before asking. "Did that make any sense?"

With a laugh, James shook his head. "Not a word."

Hinata joined in laughing and shrugged. "Yeah, well like I said, long story."

"Wait a second," He turned to face Hinata. "Where is Riku then? Is he in another galaxy?" When Hinata reluctantly nodded, he sighed. "Yikes, that's really long distance."

Hinata laughed bitterly. "Yep, I wasn't kidding."

"And you're going to wait for him?" He asked in near disbelief.

"What do you mean?" She asked, giving him a confused look.

"I mean, he's in a completely different galaxy," He explained. "If that border thing you were talking about really is up… then how are you going to get back to him?"

Hinata tightly clasped her hands in front of her and admitted. "I'm not sure. I guess I'll just wait for when the borders go down again."

"Does that type of thing happen often?" He asked, "I've never even heard of this border."

With a deep sigh, Hinata explained. "According to Doctor Doppler, the first time it happened was several months ago. It was down for almost a year, but then three months ago it just closed up again. And that's how I got here."

"Like the first time happening in history?"

"That's been recorded… yes." She admitted.

"How do you know if it's ever going down again?" He asked.

Wrapping her arms uncomfortably around herself, she confessed. "…I don't."

"So you could potentially be stuck here forever…" He pieced together. "How long are you going to hold onto this Riku then?"

"I don't know why it matters." Hinata replied, small bits of anger lacing into her voice.

"Well, you're still really young to be linked to one guy the rest of your life." He told her, crossing his arms. "Especially a guy you probably won't see again."

"Could we stop talking about this?" Hinata pleaded, "I really don't want to think about it right now."

James sighed, "Yeah, sorry, I got a little carried away. I just don't want you to get hurt, pining for some guy that…"

"James, stop." She cut him short. "I'm not your sister or some girlfriend. In fact, we are barely friends; so this isn't really a subject of my life that you should even have any say in." She turned around, about to leave; but she clenched her fists and told him. "And Riku isn't just some guy, he's…" Tears threatened to well up in her eyes, but she shook her head and muttered. "Gah, just forget it. I'll be back tomorrow morning to leave with Sam."

"Hinata, I'm sorry," James reached forward and gently grabbed her arm. "I didn't mean to upset you. I didn't realize just how important Riku was to you. I'll drop it from now on, I promise."

Brushing his hand off her arm, she whispered. "Thank you." Without looking back at him, she walked away and left the shop.

She hurried back to Doc and Amelia's home in silence. Barely paying mind to the busy market place and surrounding people as she walked. Soon she reached the long stone walkway that led to the large mansion like home. She breathed a sigh of relief as she pushed the large doors open to reveal the warm fireplace aflame in the study; with the soft murmur of friendly voices chattering away further inside. Placing her satchel on the floor next to the front door and taking off her shoes, Hinata could hear Jack's faint bark as he realized she was home. Within seconds her small ghost dog was floating towards her bobbing up and down with his tail wagging rapidly behind him. He bombarded her with happy dog kisses and she waved him away with a giggle.

"It's good to see you too, boy." She whispered to him, scratching behind his ears.

"Hinata, my dear, is that you?" Doppler called from the other room.

"Yeah," She called back, "I'll be right there."

"There's a fresh pot of tea in the kitchen if you are interested!" Amelia informed her.

"Of course there is," Hinata quietly chuckled to herself as she made her way to the kitchen with Jack in tow.

She poured herself a small glass of tea and carefully carried it to the study. As the entered the warm room she saw Doppler and Amelia sitting next to each other on the couch across from Sarah, who was sitting in a velvet armchair with a small blanket around her shoulders. Her long brown hair was done in a bun behind her head and her tired blue eyes brightened as she saw Hinata enter the room.

"Miss Hawkins," Hinata greeted with a smile. "It's good to see you."

"Oh Hinata, I've told you to call me Sarah." She smiled warmly. "Did you have a nice day?"

Sitting down on the couch next to Amelia, Hinata slightly shrugged. "I suppose you could say that, it was pretty eventful." She took a sip of her tea before asking. "How is the rebuilding of the Benbo Inn coming along?"

"Great, actually," She smiled. "It should be up and running within a month."

"That's amazing," Hinata replied, taking another drink. "It's only taking a little over three months to completely rebuild it?"

"Well, with the amount of gold Jim was able to pay, we were able to get it built quicker than usual." Doppler explained. "Speaking of Jim, will he be getting shore leave from the Interstellar Academy for the reopening?"

Sarah nodded, "Yes, thanks to Amelia, he is getting a full month leave to help out with the reopening."

"Great!" Hinata chimed. "I haven't seen him in a while. That will give us some time to catch up. Where is Ben by the way? I've barely seen him these past couple of weeks."

"He has been working away at the Inn." Sarah explained. "He has been incredibly helpful with getting the building plans worked out and organizing where things go."

Hinata chuckled, "It's amazing all he can do now; now that he has his mind again."

Sarah laughed, "Yes, he talked about that a lot."

"Oh, Hinata," Amelia spoke up, changing the subject. "I have been meaning to tell you, Colette will be gone on a mission starting tomorrow. She'll be gone for seven days so we will have to temporarily pause your combat training."

Hinata's eyes lit up, "Actually that works perfectly."

"How so?" Doppler asked.

Placing her tea cup on a nightstand, Hinata tried to find the right words to explain. "Well… you know how I've been getting a custom ship built with the gold I got from Treasure Planet?" When the others nodded she rubbed her hands together uncomfortably and continued. "Well, Sam, the girl who's building it, found out about how I'm not really from around here. And she suggested that we take a trip to the galaxy border to see if it really is… you know, closed."

The crackling fire was the only sound filling the room once Hinata finished explaining.

"And this Sam… is she trustworthy?" Doppler spoke up, after a few moments of silence.

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, her and her brother run their shop by themselves and I've been going to see them every day this past week. She ordered the parts for my ship, but some of them are going to take a while to get to her so she suggested we take one of her ships to the border while they get in. She says it should only take a week to get to the border and then back here again."

Worry was plain on Sarah's face, but she remained silent, knowing it wasn't her place to cut in. Amelia and Doppler exchanged glances, seemingly having their own silent conversation while Hinata waited in anticipation for their thoughts.

"If you think you can trust Sam and are ready for it, I think you should." Doppler nodded his head.

"Really?" Sarah spoke up. "I must say Delbert; you have really changed since returning from that trip."

Doppler chuckled, "Yes, it was quite the life-changing experience; but I know that returning home is one of Hinata's top priorities." He looked over at Hinata. "And even though I think the border to this galaxy has regained integrity I cannot be certain. As a result, going to check for yourself is a valid reason to go on this trip."

Hinata smiled warmly at Doppler and inclined her head. "Thank you. That really means a lot to me."

The rest of the night went on in a relaxing tone. Sarah stayed for dinner and they continued to chat by the fire until the sun had set. As the stars began to appear in the sky, Sarah sighed, "I suppose I should be getting home. There is a lot to be done at the Inn tomorrow." She got up from her seat and asked. "Hinata, this just came to mind, but I was wondering if you had any experience with waitressing."

Hinata shook her head. "No, actually I have never had a job before. Why?"

"Well, with the Benbo being rebuilt I thought it might be a good idea to hire a few extra hands to work." She explained. "If you end up having to stay on Montressor, I wanted to offer you a job at the inn."

"Really?" She asked before replying, "Oh… thank you. I guess I've never really thought about it; but a job probably would come in handy." She looked up at Sarah, "I'll think about it."

"Alright," Sarah smiled.

"I'll drive you back on the carriage." Doppler told Sarah, grabbing his coat, "Let me just get Delilah ready to go." He left the room and hurried to a back door that led to his garage.

As he left, Sarah walked over to Hinata and asked in a quieted tone. "I don't mean to pry Hinata, but Delbert mentioned that you have been having trouble sleeping."

Hinata's cheeks lightly flushed as she admitted. "Yeah, a little bit; but Doc got me some medication and it's really been helping."

Sarah smiled. "I'm glad. I had a similar problem after Jim's father left."

"Really?" she asked. "How did you get past it?"

"I still haven't if I'm honest." She confessed with a sad smile. "The important thing to remember is to keep moving forward. Things will always get better, no matter how bad they get." She laughed under her breath. "Jim is a living testimony to that. The young man he was before he left on that expedition would be unrecognizable today." She placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Basically, what I'm trying to say is that whatever happens, you can't lose hope that things will change for the better."

Hinata smiled and placed her hand over Sarah's. "Thanks."

"Alright, the carriage is ready if you are ready to depart." Doppler spoke up, entering the study again.

"Yes, I'll be right there." Sarah responded before removing her hand from Hinata's shoulder. "Be careful on your trip Hinata."

"I will be." Hinata told her with a smile.

With that, Sarah turned and followed Doppler out of the home. Hinata listened to the wheels on the carriage bump along the stone road as it sped away. She let out a long breath once it was gone and turned around to see Jack fast asleep on Amelia's rounded stomach as she sat on the couch.

Hinata walked forward and stifled a laugh. "Sorry, I'll make him move."

Amelia chuckled, "No need, I'm not planning on moving any time soon; so his company is most welcome."

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"The children are definitely active." Amelia told her with a smile, running her hands along the sides of her stomach. "I can barely believe there are four of them in here."

"Me neither." Hinata sighed. "If it's alright with you, I think I am going to go pack my things for tomorrow's trip. If you need anything I'll be in my room."

Amelia simply smiled and nodded as Hinata turned around to head up the stairs. She pushed open her bedroom door and immediately plopped down on top of her bed. Taking a deep breath, she finally allowed herself to relax from the long day. After several minutes of silence, she sat up and looked around the bare room. She reluctantly got up and went to her dresser; grabbing whatever clothes she had inside, even though they only amounted to three separate outfits. Putting them under her arm, she then grabbed her journals on her desk and a few extra pens. Once her arms were full she placed everything on top of the bed and made her way out of the room to grab her satchel that was still downstairs. She opened her bag as she reentered her room and began folding her clothes to put inside; stuffing them at the bottom. She took out her Journey Journal to make more room for the clothes and glanced at the cover before setting it down to continue packing. Once all the clothes and journals were stuffed inside, she closed the bag and once again sat on top of the comforter. She reached over and grabbed her Journey Journal as she leaned onto her back. Holding the book above her she began going through the pages. She had seen the pictures dozens of times; but she always felt a small rush of comfort whenever she saw her friends' faces. She stopped at a picture of Kairi and slightly frowned.

"I really hope you're doing alright Aiko." She whispered, "I wish I had realized who you were when we were together." She looked over at Riku next to her in the picture and sighed. "And I wish I knew where you were."

She glanced over at her bedside table and caught sight of a small plastic container. Sitting up, she reached over to the container and pulled it towards herself to see three berries sitting at the bottom. They were the only remaining berries she had kept from Treasure Planet. They stayed at her bedside, but she had refrained from eating them. She looked at them almost every night but Riku's warning kept ringing through her head every time she considered the thought of eating one. With a sigh, she put the container back on the night table and instead got up from the bed to head towards the bathroom. She took a steaming shower and when she was dressed in her pajamas, she grabbed a small white bottle of pills. Opening the container, she plopped two of the blue pellets into her palm and tossed them into her mouth before quickly swallowing them. She kept the bottle in her hand as she exited the bathroom and went back to her room; placing it into her satchel once she was there.

Looking one more time through the Journey Journal, she felt her eyes get heavy and soon drifted off into a nightmare-less sleep.

The following morning, she was up before the sun had completely risen. Jack was at the foot of her bed, having gone up to her sometime in the night. Hinata yawned as she stretched and got out of the bed. She patted Jack on his back, causing him to reluctantly awaken.

"Hey, sleepy head," She whispered, kneeling down to his level. "I'm going on a weeklong trip with Sam. Did you want to come along?" Jack immediately perked up and barked happily, causing Hinata to laugh as she stood. "I see that you're just as eager to get out of here as I am."

Jack yawned but then quickly floated up to be beside Hinata. Grabbing her stuffed bag, Hinata swung it over her shoulder and then reached to grab her Journey Journal. She opened her bag and squeezed it inside. Then she went over to her desk where her gauntlets and the black chained necklace lay.

She picked up one of her gauntlets. "I doubt I'll need my hook shot on this trip. But maybe I should bring them anyways…" Shrugging, she placed her gloves over her hands and looked down at the necklace. "We'll get that charm put on a collar for you when we get back, alright?" She told Jack, getting him to bark in response.

Heading out of the bedroom she got herself ready for the day and grabbed a few more essentials to pack before getting ready to head out the door. She rushed down the stairs to get a quick breakfast and found Doppler and Amelia already having their morning tea.

"Good morning," She chimed to them.

"My, you are quite chipper this morning." Amelia noted with a smile.

Hinata giggled. "Yeah, I haven't done anything really exciting in a few months. And who knows, maybe the border is down and I can go home!"

Amelia and Doppler exchanged glances. "Now Hinata," Doppler got up from the couch and walked over to Hinata. "I don't mean to be discouraging; but perhaps it may be wise to not have high expectations for this."

Stopping mid-walk, Hinata admitted. "I know Doc, you're right. I just can't help myself. It would be so nice..."

"I understand." He agreed. "Just… try not to be too disappointed if it's still up. If it is, we will find another way to get you back." Placing his hand on Hinata's shoulder he assured her. "I promise."

Taking a deep breath, Hinata nodded. "Thank you. I will try." Going back to being cheerful she added, "And who knows, even if it is still up; starting a new journey isn't so bad. I mean, going on a weeklong space adventure is pretty awesome!"

Doppler chuckled, "Yes, I suppose there is that. Do you need anything before you head out?"  
Hinata shook her head. "No, I mean I don't think so."

"You should bring some food." Amelia called from the study. "Even if this Sam had food, it would be civil to bring your own as well."

"Well alright then, I guess I need some food." Hinata shrugged with a grin.

Doppler nodded and headed to the kitchen with Hinata in tow. Once there, he began packing various items for her inside a large black cooler. She helped him pick a few things, particularly things she found to be tasty.

"It's good to see you in a positive mood." He commented, as he placed a few pieces of fruit in the cooler.

Hinata nodded, "It's nice to feel this way again for once."

"Is Jack tagging along with you?" He asked ducking as Jack rapidly whizzed around the room.

Laughing, Hinata reached up and snatched Jack's tail, causing him to slow to a stop. "Yeah, sorry he's a little excited."

Doppler smiled and then slightly frowned, "Are you sure you'll be alright? Traversing space with someone you barely know?"

Hinata smiled reassuringly. "I am; I need to see this border for myself and Sam is actually a great person. I'm surprisingly looking forward to getting to know her a little bit better."

"Is her brother coming along as well?" He asked.

Hinata scoffed, "Not if I have anything to say about it." She broke into a chuckle. "But if he does, that will be fine too."

"Well alright," He nodded. "I wish you safe travels."

"Thanks." She smiled before remembering, "Oh, I better go say good-bye to Amelia." She rushed to the study to see Amelia sipping her steaming tea.

Amelia lightly laughed when she saw Hinata coming towards her. "My goodness, you are akin to a child on Christmas morning!" She placed her teacup on a nightstand and pushed herself to stand. She reached out and attempted to give Hinata a short hug; but her round stomach got between them. She laughed and looked down at her stomach. "I suppose I will have to hug you at a later date."

Hinata stifled a laugh. "I hope everything goes well here while I am gone. Make sure not to overdo it."

"I will try my best." She smiled back at Hinata, before lowering herself back down to the couch. "Do be on alert on your travels. Space can be a dangerous place."

"I will, I promise." Hinata assured her. "Well, I best be off then."

Amelia waved and returned to her tea as Hinata turned to head back to the kitchen. Doppler closed the lid of the cooler before handing it over to Hinata as she entered the room.

As she grabbed it from him he asked, "So, I don't mean to pry; but have you considered that Sam might be a good person to talk to about everything that's happened?"

Hinata balanced the container in her hands and nodded. "I've thought about it. I mean, she's willing to go to the end of the galaxy to help me out with something; so I think she would be willing to listen… I feel like I'm about ready to talk about everything."

"I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that." He responded, turning to walk with her towards the door. "It's good to see you on the road to recovery. Those sleeping pills seem to be helping as well… are you bringing them along?"

"They have been helping." Hinata told him. "And yeah, they are in my bag. Last thing I want is to wake up screaming and scare the living daylights out of my new friend." She laughed as Doppler opened the front door. She stopped and looked outside as the sun began rising into the sky. With a sigh she said. "Well, I guess I'm off then."

Doppler smiled. "I wish you safe travels. And I hope everything goes well."

Hinata smiled and glanced over at Jack, who was floating next to her. "Thanks Doc. We'll be back in a week."

Readjusting the cooler in her hands, she left the home and made her way outside. The cool morning air brushed past her bare arms as her and Jack walked down the long stone pathway. They walked in silence, enjoying the early morning and soon approached the market place. It was early enough in the day that the usually busy streets were only filled with a handful of aliens; most of them making their way to their shops to open for that day's business. Without trouble, they turned into the brick alley and found the old mechanic shop. Hinata struggled to open the door as she tried to balance the cooler in her arms. Finally getting it open, she walked into the lobby to find James sitting at the front desk leaning forward on the wooden top; seemingly asleep.

Hinata stifled a laugh as she approached and placed the cooler on top of the desk. She rubbed her hands together and glanced towards the back factory room to see if she could spot Sam. Jack went straight to James and floated around him, going forward and lightly licking his cheek.

James sleepily smiled and quietly moaned as he waved Jack away, before mumbling. "Hinata, stop."

Hinata's cheeks immediately flushed and without thinking she shoved James's shoulder, causing him to fall off his stool. Awaking abruptly, he yelped in surprise as he suddenly lost his balance and tumbled to the floor.

Scrambling to his feet, he glared at Hinata. "What was that for?"

"Pleasant dreams?" She asked, uncomfortably taking a couple steps back.

His eyes widened and his cheeks burned with embarrassment. Rubbing the back of his neck, he stammered, "Y-yeah, they were alright." Glancing over at Hinata, he asked. "I wasn't talking in my sleep, was I?"

Averting her eyes, she avoided his question and asked. "Is Sam awake?"

They stood in an awkward silence until James shook his head. "What? Oh… uh, yeah. She's waiting for an order from Lars."

"Alright," She shortly replied, reaching to grab her cooler.

"I'll take care of that for you," James told her, leaning his hands forward.

Seeing him approaching, Hinata abruptly retracted her hands and took a couple steps back. "Okay, fine. Make sure that gets on Sam's ship." She told him, before scurrying past to head into the lobby. "I wish Riku were here." She whispered to Jack as they made their way into the factory. "He would set James straight." She smirked at the thought.

They continued walking, until they passed the large trench in the center of the room and approached large wooden boxes stacked around an open garage door that led outside. Hinata placed her hand on one of the nearby boxes and looked around the area.

"Ah, there you are!" Same greeted, popping up from one of the crates. "Are you ready for our adventure?"

Hinata grinned, "Sure am! I can't wait."

Sam jogged up to her and patted Jack on the head, before commenting. "Hey, thanks for talking to James after I stormed off yesterday. If it hadn't been for you he might not have had a change of heart to let me even take the ship out today."

"I didn't really say much." Hinata admitted.

"Well whatever you said worked." She told her. "And for that, I'm grateful." She looked Hinata over and asked. "Is that satchel all you brought?"

Hinata nodded, "Well this and a large cooler full of food. Amelia insisted I bring some along, just in case."

"Great, I didn't buy a lot of extra food, so that will help." She replied, before asking. "Where's the cooler?"

Pointing behind her, Hinata answered. "Back in the lobby… Your brother isn't coming along is he?"

"Nah, at least I didn't invite him." She told her, shaking her head. "Why, did he do something?"

"Oh, it's nothing…" Hinata told her.

Sam shrugged, "If you say so." She motioned her hand towards the large crates around them. "I just need to sign off these parts from Lars and then we can get ready to go."

"Great!" Hinata beamed, smiling over at Jack.

With a skip in her step, Hinata turned and began to walk towards the ship she and Sam were about to embark on. Jack floated beside her in excitement, ready to face the new adventure.

*** Author's Note: Hi everyone! I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Just to let everyone know, in the Kingdom Hearts Timeline we are in the middle of 358/2 Days. When Hinata was on Treasure Planet we passed through the Chain of Memories (Riku and Sora were only there for about a month... what did they eat while they were there? I've always wondered) Anyways, I wanted to thank you guys for being patient as Hinata goes through this time. I don't want to give much away, but I promise that we will be getting into the thick of Kingdom Hearts again very soon. I am looking forward to it just as much as you guys are I'm sure. If we are feeling impatient, imagine how Hinata must feel! Anywho... thank you guys for reading! Let me know what you think! ***


	8. There is Always Hope

Chapter 8

Hinata sat in a hard cushioned seat in the cockpit, absently watching outside space whizzing past the windshield as she was lost in thought. Three days had passed since she and Sam took the ship off Montressor. They were mere hours away from reaching what they were hoping was the galaxy border.

Yawning, Sam walked into the cramped cockpit and sat down in a seat beside Hinata. She swiveled her chair towards the control board and began quickly pressing various buttons while she asked. "How are you holding up?"

It took a moment for Hinata to realize that Sam was speaking to her and she rapidly blinked her eyes in an attempt to refocus. "Oh, um, I'm doing alright. Kind of bored to be honest." She admitted.

Sam sighed as she placed her hands behind her head, chuckling. "Yeah, not much for us to really do in this tiny ship."

"Doc and Amelia made such a big deal about the dangers of space, but literally nothing has happened." Hinata motioned her hands up. Sam looked over at her in confusion, and she explained. "I mean, I'm happy we're safe… but I guess I was just expecting this to be a little more exciting. These last three days have sort of dragged on."

Nodding, Sam replied. "Yeah, that and you are probably really restless to get to the border. Have you thought about what you are going to do if it's down?"

"Yeah," She admitted, "A lot actually." Turning her chair to face Sam, she informed her. "I was thinking that we could go back to Montressor and maybe I can help you finish my ship. Then I'll sail out of here."

"Just like that huh?" She responded, crossing her arms. "Why don't we just go together? We could take this ship and just sail out of this galaxy."

Hinata eyed her new friend for a moment. "You would really want to do that?"

Sam was silent for a moment, thinking it over, before she replied. "Well yeah, not like there's much left for me back on Montressor. It would be great to find a new planet and make a fresh start."

"What about your brother?" She asked. "And your mom? James told me she isn't doing too well."

"I love them both, I do. It's just that every day I just feel trapped." She vented. "It's like; ever since my dad left I've been expected to hold up my family. Heck, I even dropped out of school to make sure we didn't lose our home." Leaning forward, she placed her elbows on her knees. "And I'm not even fifteen years old! I didn't even get a chance to make my own life; I was just tossed into managing my own business and taking care of my depressed mom. She does nothing all day except stare at old pictures of dad. I have to fight her even to eat dinner. I barely recognize her anymore." She fell silent for a few minutes, and then sat back up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spill all that to you out of nowhere."

"How long has your dad been gone?" Hinata softly asked.

"A little over two years." Sam mumbled.

"I'm sorry." She told her. "Isn't James helping you?"

Sam shrugged, "He does what he can. He doesn't know nearly as much about mechanical stuff as I do. He mostly handles the customers and the cosmetics of the ships. There's no way he could handle the shop on his own."

"Then, maybe you shouldn't leave yet." Hinata told her.

"That gold you paid for your ship would let my family live like royalty, even if they sold the shop… they wouldn't need me anymore." She let out a long breath. "I don't think they would even miss me."

Hinata let out a chuckle. "Now I know that's not true. The way James got all huffy about you even considering going on this trip tells me otherwise." Putting her hand on Sam's knee, she continued. "And think about your mom. With the way she handled your dad going missing, imagine how she would react if her own daughter left without even saying goodbye."

"Are you saying this because you don't want me to go with you?" She asked.

"Not at all, I would actually really like some company." Hinata put her hands up in surrender and smiled, before admitting. "It's just that, I used to have a family that really cared about me and all I could think of was getting away from them. And now… well I wish I had them back." She solemnly looked out the window, before shaking her head. "I don't want to knowingly put you in the same situation. Your family needs you right now and even though it's unfair, you can't just leave them."

Sam sighed in slight exasperation and got up from her seat. Walking out of the cockpit, she muttered. "Whatever, I'm going to get some food."

Hinata watched Sam walk away with a frown, but then smiled as Jack floated in. "Hey boy," She greeted him as he approached her. "We should be getting to the border soon."

Wagging his tail, he landed on her lap and looked out at the streaks of light flying past the ship. They were moving at such an incredible speed that objects outside the ship were unrecognizable. Hinata ran her hand along Jack's back and allowed herself to get lost back into her thoughts. Hours of silence passed until a cheery chime rang through the ship and Sam rushed to the cockpit.

Hinata stood up and asked. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Sam shook her head, "No, the ship is starting to slow down on its own. We might be close to that border you talked about." She grabbed the edge of the control board and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. You were right and I wasn't wanting to listen."

Giving her a small smile, Hinata assured her. "Don't worry about it, I get it. I'm sorry if I over stepped my bounds with telling you what to do."

Chuckling, Sam crossed her arms. "Well someone has to. I'm just glad it was you rather than my brother."

Hinata stifled a laugh as she looked out the windshield of the ship to see the streaks of light fade away to reveal stars speckled through the dark space. As the ship slowed to a stop, her heart began drumming in her ears and her throat suddenly went dry. Taking a deep breath she admitted, "I think I'm more nervous than I thought." She uncomfortably rubbed her hands together. "Doc told me before I left, not to expect anything, but I can't help it." She looked up at Sam, "I really hope that border is down and I don't know what I'm going to do if it's not."

Sam placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Whatever happens, I'll be here to help you through it. Besides… that's what friends are for, right?"

"Yeah," She nodded, straining a smile and placing her hand over Sam's, before saying. "Thank you."

The ship abruptly stopped, causing Hinata and Sam to jolt forward. Regaining her balance, Hinata swallowed in attempt to coat her dry throat and looked outside at the pitch black space. Where they were at, very few stars could be seen twinkling in the far distance, adding tiny amounts of light to the darkness outside.

"Are you ready?" Sam asked, sensing Hinata's nervous tension.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Hinata reluctantly nodded.

"Alright," Sam answered, pressing various buttons on the control board. When she pressed a large blue light, the ship rumbled for a moment before letting out a loud chime. "I just expanded the air field, so you should be able to just open the door and reach out."

Hinata nodded, before asking. "Are we close enough for me to just reach out?"

Turning around, Sam reached up and grabbed a metal handle that was protruding off a large movable screen. She turned it towards them to reveal a bright green visual display with the galaxy map on top. A large circle encased what seemed to be the different planets in the galaxy. Then at the edge of the circle was a blue flashing dot. Pointing to the dot, Sam explained. "This is us. According to this map, we are right at the edge. Since the ship stopped on its own; why not just have you touch it yourself?"

"Okay then," Hinata clasped her hands in front of her and tore her eyes away from the screen. "No point in waiting around then, I guess."

Trying to keep her racing heart in check, she walked out of the cockpit into a small cramped living area. Across from a metal bunk-bed was a large silver door, leading to the exit of the ship. Jack floated beside Hinata as she approached the door and watched as she reached her hand forward to touch a large gray button beside the exit. With a whir, the door slid open and they were met with open space right in front of them. Hinata stood at the edge of the ship and looked out at the endless darkness before her; very few stars could be seen far off in the distance and no planets were in sight. With a shaking hand, Hinata reached out of the ship, into the blackness outside. Fully outstretching her arm, the tips of her fingers suddenly began to tingle with what could be compared to faint amounts of electricity.

Quickly retracting her hand, she spoke up. "I don't think we're close enough. There is definitely something there though. I felt some sort of… radiating energy."

"Could it be the border?" Sam asked.

Hinata frowned. "Yeah, I think so."

Walking towards a small table, Sam picked up a wrench and handed it to Hinata. "Here, throw this out there. If you could feel the energy it shouldn't be too far."

Reluctantly, Hinata took the wrench and looked down at it in her hand. She tightened her grip on it and momentarily closed her eyes. "Please don't be up…" She whispered under her breath, before looking back out to space and throwing the tool out of the ship.

The moment the wrench exited the ship, all of the momentum Hinata used to throw it vanished. It floated in space, moving at a snail's pace away from the girls. Sam and Hinata watched it in anticipation. Within a couple minutes the wrench stopped abruptly, as if it had run into something. Upon impact, glassy hexagons connected at the seams suddenly flashed in a wave. Hinata leaned out of the ship and watched as hexagons began lighting up to reveal a colossal dome surrounding them and all the other planets behind them. Once the entire border was lit, it quickly faded away, back to the dense blackness it had been before.

Sam rushed forward, pushing past Hinata and leaned out the door of the ship. "Was that the border?" She asked in near disbelief. "I can't believe it actually exists!"

"Does this ship have any sort of weapons?" Hinata asked, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed.

Looking back at her confused, Sam replied, "No, that big engine I put on it didn't leave any room for them… why?"

"If a simple wrench was able to trigger that reaction for the border, then maybe we can take it down by force." She responded.

"What?" Sam objected. "You don't even want to try to find out why it's here? There has to be some good reason we are separated from the other galaxies."

"I don't care why it's here, I want it gone!" Hinata cried, her voice rising. "If there's a way to break it, I'm going to find it!"

"You really think that's a good idea?" Sam raised her own voice. "We've got enough problems in this galaxy alone without adding those Heartless creatures you mentioned."

"Why are you suddenly against me on this?" She asked, yelling. "Just hours ago you were begging me to let you travel with me!"

Sam scowled and was about to yell in return, but closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Once calm, she replied. "First off, I was not begging. Secondly, that was when I didn't really believe there was a border. Now that I've seen the damn thing myself, I can't help but think it's there for a reason. You don't just put up a giant barrier for no reason." Hinata was about to object, when Sam continued. "Maybe there is a way to turn it off for a little bit, like temporarily. Don't you think we should at least try looking into that?"

Hinata's cheeks were flushed with frustration but she eventually nodded, "Alright, fine." Jack floated up beside her with a whimper and Hinata's face softened. She glanced back at Sam and mumbled. "Sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Walking forward, Sam pulled Hinata into a quick hug. "It's alright, I'm sorry this didn't work out like we wanted."

A lump was quickly forming in Hinata's throat when Sam pulled away from the hug. Nodding, she said. "It's ok. I just got my hopes up. I'll find some way to get back home."

"Yeah!" Sam smiled, trying to be cheerful. "I'll set the navigation to take us home. We should have barely enough fuel to get there."

Hinata nodded as Sam left the room. She slowly walked over to the bunk-bed and sat down on the bottom bunk. Reaching over, she grabbed her satchel and pulled out her Journey Journal; once again opening it to the first page. Within moments the ship was moving again, back up to its quick speeds.

"Are those pictures of your friends?" Sam asked, coming back from the cockpit and sitting down beside Hinata.

"Yeah, I'm sort of obsessed with this book." She told her with a small smile. "It has pictures of the journey I went on with Riku when our home was destroyed. I don't usually look past the first few pages though… too many memories I guess."

"So I take it this is Riku?" Sam asked, pointing to the picture of Riku, Hinata, and Kairi sitting on the paopu tree. When Hinata nodded she chuckled, "I've got to admit, he's hot."

Hinata scoffed and lightly shoved Sam's shoulder. "Don't even think about it!" She joked.

Laughing, Sam waved Hinata's hand away. "Alright, alright, I'll let you keep pretty boy. Not like he would even notice me if we ever met. I bet he'd be all googly eyes over you."

"Yeah, I don't think he's the 'googly eyes' type." She laughed.

"You had really long hair." Sam changed the subject, pointing at Hinata's long red pony-tail.

Hinata sighed, "Yeah, when my ship crashed into Treasure Planet my hair got caught in a door and I had to cut it off."

Sam looked at her. "Well, at least you pull off the short hair."

"Thanks." She replied, lightly tugging on the ends of a few strands of hair.

"Who's that other girl?" Sam asked.

"Kairi, she's… my sister actually." Hinata admitted, her heart sinking. "My mom and I used to call her Aiko."

"That doesn't even sound like Kairi." She pointed out. "Why such the weird nickname?"

Hinata shrugged. "When my mom was pregnant with her, she wanted to name her Aiko; but my dad insisted we name her Kairi. So even though Kairi is her real name, my mom always called her Aiko anyways."

"You guys look about the same age," She noted.

"We are actually nine years apart." Hinata told her, giving a small smile when Sam gave her a look of bewilderment. "Yeah, that's a long story."

"You know, sometimes you say things that make absolutely no sense." Sam snickered. She looked up from the book up to Hinata, but immediately frowned when she saw a tear streaming down her cheek. "Hey… Are you alright?" She asked in concern.

Swiftly brushing away the tear, Hinata cleared her throat and nodded. "Yeah… I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" She pried.

"It's just…" Hinata started, trying to keep her voice from breaking. "I don't understand why I'm stuck here. I've been trying to make the best of it this past month on Montressor, but every day I look at these pictures and I'm just reminded that I might not ever see my friends or family again."

"We are going to try getting the barrier down temporarily, remember?" She reminded her.

"But what if that doesn't work?" Hinata interrupted.

"Well, maybe Riku is trying to find a way to get to you." Sam offered. "If your ship was like the machines in this galaxy, then it had some sort of tracker in it. So if Riku knows who the ship belongs to, he could find a way to track your ship here." When Hinata didn't respond, she nudged her shoulder. "What do you think of that?"

Hinata tightened her hands around her journal. "I would like to believe that but…" She closed her eyes. "I don't know if he's even alive anymore. I mean… My heart feels like he is, but who knows how much I can trust that…"

"Wait…. What?" Sam cried, standing up from the bed and placing her hands on her hips. "What do you mean, he might not be alive? What the hell happened?"

Her voice shaking, Hinata explained, "Remember when I mentioned that I had gotten in a bad fight right before my ship flew into your galaxy?" She glanced up at Sam, before continuing. "That fight was against Riku."

"What?" Sam knelt down in front of Hinata; her face conflicted with mixing emotions.

"It wasn't technically him, there was this man named…" She paused a moment and tightened her hands. "Xehanort. Somehow, I'm not exactly sure how it happened; Xehanort found a way to almost possess Riku. He mixed his voice with Riku's and was able to control his actions." Her skin paled as she talked and her hands began to tremble before Sam placed her hands over Hinata's.

"It's alright," Sam assured her softly, looking over her with concern. "What did Xehanort make Riku do?"

"He tried to kill me." Hinata told her, her eyes down cast to her hands. "He used Riku to…" Her voice lightly broke, but she cleared her throat and tried again. "… to strangle me, but Riku was able to overpower him and he saved my life. Or, at least I think that's what happened. I fell unconscious when he was choking me and when I woke back up I was in my ship."

Sam tightened her hands over Hinata's and remained silent, trying to take in everything Hinata had just told her. After a while, she finally spoke up. "So… you aren't sure if Riku is alive because you don't know what Xehanort did to him after he saved your life?" When Hinata only nodded in response, Sam pulled away her hands and stood up. Crossing her arms she fumed, "What the hell was wrong with that guy?" She glared out the window at the passing stars, lost in her own anger.

Jack floated over to Hinata with his ears flat upon his head. He landed on Hinata's lap and rubbed into her pale hands. The three of them remained silent, lost in their thoughts, as the ship continued speeding through space, delivering them back to Montressor. After several minutes past, Sam glanced back at Hinata and reluctantly turned around to face her.

"Hinata," She broke the silence, waiting for Hinata's saddened eyes to look up at her. "I'm sorry that happened. No one should have to go through that."

Wiping away tears, Hinata nodded and mumbled. "Thank you." She looked down at Jack and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Sorry I sort of broke down on you."

Sam scoffed and walked back to the edge of the bed, "Oh please, if there's ever a good reason to cry that's one." Sitting down next to Hinata she told her. "How many people know what happened?"

Hinata half-smiled, "You're the first. I haven't even told Doc or Amelia."

Sam's eyes widened. "Wow… I don't know what to say."

"Doc has been saying I should tell someone what happened since we met," Hinata admitted. "I just didn't feel ready. But then you offered to take me to the galaxy border and I just felt like… I don't know… that you would make a good friend?" She glanced over at Sam and then chuckled under her breath. "I know that sounds weird."

Sam laughed. "No, no, I wouldn't say that. I'm just surprised is all." She leaned her hands back on the bed. "You're the first friend I've made for as long as I can remember. I don't talk to the people from school anymore… they don't want to talk to a damn dropout. Not that I blame them."

"Well, if we're being honest," Hinata cut in, "I haven't been to school in over a year. I don't even know what grade I should be in." She shrugged, "So I guess that makes both of us… uh, damn dropouts." She chuckled.

"Um, yeah, except that you were forced out of school when those Heartless things attacked. So you technically aren't a dropout." Sam pointed out before laughing. "And did I just hear you cuss?"

Hinata's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she stammered. "I was trying to lighten your mood! Plus, you say it all the time so I thought I would try it out!"

Sam snickered while she spoke, "Well it doesn't fit you, you're too…"

"Too what?" Hinata interrupted. "I can say whatever the hell I want!"

Sam busted out laughing, almost falling backwards, "Oh please, just stop it!"

Hinata rolled her eyes not finding it as hilarious as Sam, "Oh fine."

While Sam finished laughing, Hinata looked back down at her Journey Journal and turned to the next page to show her and Riku walking through the towering flowers in Wonderland.

"Woah," Sam breathed, sitting back up and looking over Hinata's shoulder at the page. "Where was that?"

"Wonderland." Hinata told her. "This was about the only nice thing about the place. Nothing made sense."

"Wonderland…" Sam repeated looking at the colorful array of flowers portrayed in the picture. "Where else did you guys go?"

Hinata began showing Sam the different pictures in the Journal, filling her in on different stories and memories for each one. The next three days flew by uneventfully on their way back to Montressor.

A month after Sam and Hinata went to check the border; Hinata was walking down a long street back on Montressor, with Jack floating at her side. They were on their way to meet up with Jim at the newly built Benbo Inn; he had just arrived for shore-leave from the Academy that day. Turning down a narrow street, Hinata spotted the multiple-level Inn far in the distance on a standalone floating island. One path worked as a bridge to the building itself while a wooden dock was built hanging off the front, serving as a parking lot for traveling ships. As they approached, they could make out the details of the place. The entire thing was made of multiple panes of light wood and large windows with diamond cutouts adorned the sides. It towered at least three stories into the sky, each level built smaller than the one below to create a pyramid affect. Rounded copper roofs on each level caused a nice shine to reflect from the sun and could easily catch the eye of any passerby. In front of a brass plated door hung a sign that read, 'Benbo Inn'.

Stopping in front of the door, Hinata looked up at the sign and could hear the murmur of people talking inside. She glanced over at Jack with a smile, before pushing the door open to walk inside. A bell chimed as Hinata walked into the golden dining room. Hardwood flooring was tiled underneath dozens of tables; some of them round while others were cushioned booths along the walls. Decorative plates and paintings were hung, leading to a staircase that went up to the next level. Hinata scanned the room and smiled when she caught sight of Jim talking with his mother, Sarah. Walking up behind him, she waited for a pause in their conversation to interrupt. A swinging door on the other side of the room swung open to reveal Ben wearing a frilly apron around his copper body.

His eyes lit up when he saw the visitors and he exclaimed, "Hinata, Jack! Welcome to the Benbo Inn!" He ran up to them and pulled Hinata into a tight hug.

Hinata patted Ben awkwardly on his back before gently pushing him away. "Hi Ben! Long time no see." She smiled at him. "What have you been up to?"

He untied his apron behind him and hung it over his arm as he spoke. "Oh you know, this and that. A robot has to stay busy!"

With a slight chuckle, Hinata replied, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Hey Hinata." Jim greeted, turning around from his mom. "Here to check out the Inn?"

"Well that and to check in on you," She explained, crossing her arms and then smiling. "How have you been?"

"Great!" He replied. "I thought I would have to help out with getting things ready here, but pretty much everything has been done."

"Oh, in that case, do you want to come with me to check on my ship?" She asked, motioning her head towards the door. "Sam said it should be done soon."

"Your ship?" He repeated, placing his hands on his hips. "Since when do you have your own ship?"

"That's right, you have sort of been gone the last couple of months…" Hinata remembered, slightly embarrassed. "I saved the gold I got from Treasure Planet and used it to commission a custom ship." She rubbed the back of her neck and admitted. "You know, in case the border ever goes back down and I can go home."

"Cool." Jim grinned. "I definitely want to see that." He turned to look for his mom, but she was on the other end of the room. Slightly raising his voice, he called. "Hey mom, if you don't need help here I was thinking of going out somewhere with Hinata. Will you be alright here?"

Sarah smiled and told him. "Everything's pretty much done here, go on and have some fun! Enjoy your shore leave."

Jim was about to respond when Ben blurted, "Can I come too?"

"Of course you can Ben." Hinata told him, looking over at Jim. "You ready?"

"Yeah, you go on ahead, I'll catch up." He nodded, before jogging up to Sarah and giving her a quick hug. "Love you." He told her quietly before heading to the front door to go outside.

"Love you too!" She called after him as he ran out the door with Hinata, Jack, and Ben.

Jack floated around excitedly while Ben ran after him. Hinata laughed as she watched them and looked back when she heard Jim come outside.

"I just noticed that your ponytail is gone." She noted as he walked up beside her.

Jim ran his hand behind his neck and sighed. "Yeah, the Academy didn't think it was all that great. They require everyone to have this uniformed look; so I had to cut it off."

Beginning to walk away from the inn, Hinata asked. "So how do you like the Academy then?"

Jim walked beside her and shrugged. "I have mixed feelings about it. I'm learning a lot of new things and they let me build my own stuff. But there's also a bunch of rules and restrictions."

"Like what?"

"Well… like last week I started learning about this new laser technology. The academy is trying to find a way to concentrate the power of a laser into a weapon."

"Don't they already have that with guns?"

"Yeah, but they aren't wanting small shots of it, they want to make things like swords out of them."

Hinata stopped walking, "Is that type of thing possible?"

Jim looked back at Hinata and explained. "They haven't made any actual prototypes yet, but I have an idea of how to make it work."

Jogging forward again to meet Jim's pace, Hinata asked. "Have you told them about it?"

He shrugged, "Yeah, but going back to all those rules, they won't let me just make it since I would have to work with…" He put his hands up to create air-quotations, "volatile resources." Putting his arms back down at his side he explained. "They have to go to the board about my idea and get it approved before anything can be done with it; but that could take months at the rate they move."

"Well what's your idea?"

Chuckling, Jim told her. "I'll try to spare you the tech talk… basically I think I can make some sort of glove that has a laser compactor on top of it. Then whoever wears the glove can make a certain muscle movement with their hand and a foot long laser dagger would come out from the compactor."

"And the person could make the laser go away at any time too?" She asked. When Jim nodded, she quickly reached into her satchel and pulled out her hook shot gauntlets. "Do you think these types of gloves would work?"

Jim took one of the gauntlets from Hinata and examined it. "Where did you get this?" Then he shook his head and clarified. "Wait, never mind, a different galaxy. I forgot."

Hinata pointed to the large button on the top of it. "If you press this, some sort of hook shot shoots out of it. I have it on both of them."

"I was wondering…" He muttered, lost in his thoughts as ideas swirled through his mind. "It's amazing that all that chain can fit inside this without making it heavy."

"Well that probably has something to do with who I got it from." She shrugged. "Santa gave them to me."

Jim scoffed. "Yeah right, and Morph is actually a reindeer." He glanced up at Hinata when she didn't laugh and widened his eyes. "Wait, you're serious?"

Hinata laughed. "Sure am! He gave me a few things when I met him in Christmas Town."

"Christmas Town?" He repeated before shaking his head and chuckling. "Were there elves there too?"

"Yep, I had a hard time believing it myself." Hinata nodded with a smirk, before getting back to the gloves. "But really, do you think these would work?"

Jim rubbed his chin and contemplated. "Well… I will be here for a month and since I'm on shore leave the Academy doesn't have control over what I'm doing."

"And…." Hinata urged him to tell her the ultimatum, getting steadily more excited.

"And I'm pretty sure I could get a hold of a fair amount of the laser material from a guy I know in the market. Might as well give it a try!" He smirked, before telling her. "Are you sure you want me to use these? I mean, I only have an idea, if I'm wrong I could ruin these."

Hinata grinned and nodded, "Yeah, I'm definitely sure. I lost my last pair of blades back in my galaxy and there were a few times I would be getting attacked but wouldn't have my weapons with me. If you are able to get these to work then I'll always have them with me!"

"Cool." He agreed. "Well alright then, after the opening of the inn I'll get working on them."

"Get working on what?" Ben asked running back over to them with Jack in tow. Before either of them could answer he asked. "So what type of ship are you getting?"

Hinata chuckled. "You know Ben, even with your mind back you are still the same old robot."

"D'aw, that means so much to this rusty old soul!" He exclaimed, jump hugging Hinata, causing her to almost lose her footing as they walked.

Putting Ben back on the ground, Hinata answered. "To answer your question, I ordered something like a smaller version of the RLS Legacy."

"So it's not like your ship back on Bentopia?" Ben asked.

Hinata shook her head, "No, that one had too many memories; plus I want something bigger in case I ever get out of this galaxy and find the people I'm looking for."

"How are you going to fly it?" Jim asked. "Do you have any piloting experience other than auto-pilot?"

Rubbing the back of her neck, Hinata admitted, "Um, no. But, Sam said that she is going to teach me when it's finished."

"I could always help fly it!" Ben offered. "I am after all a Bio Electronic Navigator!"

"That's true." Hinata nodded, slowing to a stop once they reached the bustling marketplace. "Alright, Sam's shop is along the wall inside an alley."

"An alley?" Jim repeated, before widening his eyes, "I think I know what shop you're talking about. I thought the owner went missing a couple years ago."

"He did." Hinata clarified. "His kids, Sam and James run it now."

She led them through the busy crowd, getting better at weaving through the aliens and avoided being shoved. Within a few minutes they made it to the alley and escaped the market. Hinata took a moment to regain her breath in the new calm before walking further into the alley. Jim and Ben followed close behind, while Jack floated on ahead, already used to their surroundings.

Hinata pushed open the front door to the mechanic shop and heard multiple voices talking loudly over the whir of various tools and machines. The lobby was dark as usual, but walking into the factory area a large almost finished ship was in the middle trench. The outside of the ship was a dark brown metal with the slightest tint of gold gleaming through when direct light hit. Two large cream colored sails were floating high above the deck of the ship with veins of golden lights pulsating through the entire thing. Various aliens were walking around the area, working on different parts of the ship. They were temporary workers Sam had hired to help her finish the cosmetics of the vessel.

Jim's mouth fell open when he fully saw the ship in front of him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. Small details were reminiscent of the Legacy ship, but overall everything seemed brand new and streamlined. Hinata smirked when she saw Jim's reaction and walked further into the area to find Sam at her desk looking over the ship's blueprints.

"Hey Sam." She greeted, walking up beside her.

Sam glanced up and quickly smiled at Hinata before looking back down at the desk. "I can't believe your ship is almost done."

Hinata snickered and leaned her hands against the edge of the table. "Yeah, well that's what happens when you work basically nonstop on it every day. James and I had to fight you to even take a break to eat."

Laughing in response, Sam finally tore her eyes away from the blueprints and stood up straight. "I know. I get in these modes where I just can't stop working on it until it's done." Rubbing her tired eyes, she admitted, "I just didn't think I would be the same way with such a big project."

"I brought someone with me today." Hinata told her.

"Oh yeah?" She asked crossing her arms. "You made another friend?"

"Not exactly," Hinata shrugged, "More like a friend dropping by on shore leave."

Sam's eyes widened. "You don't mean…" She shot her eyes towards the other side of the room to see Jim eyeing the ship. Her cheeks immediately flushed and she stammered. "Ah, why exactly did you bring him here?"

"Because I know how much he likes this type of stuff." Hinata replied and then smirked. "And, I might have noticed how you blushed when I first mentioned I knew him."

"What?" Sam's cheeks blushed darker, "I-I don't know what you're talking about! I barely know him!"

"Well, get to know him a little better then." Hinata grabbed Sam's arm and began dragging her towards Jim.

"I just forgot, I need to uh- check something on the ship's navigational system!" Sam tried to talk her way out of the situation.

"Oh come on, he isn't that scary." Hinata pleaded with her. "Just look at him ogling the ship. He already likes your work."

Sam looked up at Jim to see his blue eyes bright with curiosity. With a sigh, she pulled away from Hinata's grasp and straightened her posture. "Fine," She resigned. "I'll go talk to him, but just because he wants to see the ship."

"Uh-huh," Hinata nodded, watching Sam walk away to go talk to Jim.

"Hello Beautiful," James greeted from the side of the ship, making Hinata frown.

"And just when I was having a good day." Hinata called back up at him, half-smiling when he placed his hand over his heart as if she had wounded him.

"How was hand-to-hand training today?" He asked, leaning against the railing on the ship's deck.

"I didn't have it today." Hinata replied. "Amelia went into labor last night and had her litter."

"Really? And you aren't helping Doc take care of her?" He asked.

Hinata shrugged and admitted, "I tried, but I'm not exactly the best with kids… especially babies." She sighed, "So this morning Doc told me that it would probably be best if I stayed out of the house today."

James laughed. "And here I was thinking you would make a great mom someday."

With a scoff, Hinata shook her head. "Yeah, that won't be happening any time soon; if ever."

The sound of Sam laughing caught both of their attention and James turned to see where his sister was. When he saw her talking with Jim he quickly looked back at Hinata and crossed his arms. "Why do I have the feeling that you're the one responsible for bringing that guy here?"

Hinata tried to play coy and shrugged. "I uh, don't know what you're talking about."

James rolled his eyes and asked, "Are you going to come up on the ship or what? It's weird yelling back and forth."

"You could just come down here and talk to me like a normal person." Hinata called back; but when James didn't respond she sighed. "Fine, I'll be right up."

She walked along the edge of the large trench the ship was inside of until she reached a long wooden plank that went from the floor up onto the deck of the ship. Sam was still chatting with Jim about her work as Ben scampered onto the vessel to begin exploring with Jack in tow. Hinata walked up beside James and leaned her back against the ship's railing; crossing her arms.

"Happy now?" She asked, once she was situated.

James chuckled. "I'm always happy when you're around."

Hinata rolled her eyes and looked at Sam talking excitedly with Jim. Her cheeks were rosy pink and her turquoise eyes were bright with excitement. "Do Sam and Jim know each other?"

James nodded, "Yeah, they grew up together." Hinata darted her eyes to James in surprise as he continued, "They were good friends until Jim's dad just one day got up and left. According to Sam, after that happened he just changed."

"How so?" She asked.

Shrugging, James admitted, "I don't know all the details. Sam doesn't like to talk about it. I know she kept trying to talk with him but he just began shutting her and everyone else out. Seems like he's different now though."

"Yeah, Sarah told me that after he got back from Treasure Planet, he's been a completely different person." Hinata added. "You don't mind that I brought him by, do you?"

James bit the inside of his cheek, before answering. "I kind of wish you asked me first."

Hinata looked at him confused. "Really? Sam seems happy about it."

"Of course she does, she's had a crush on the guy for as long as I can remember." James explained frustration obvious in his voice. "But I remember all the times she came home crying because her 'best friend' wouldn't talk to her. He doesn't deserve her in my opinion."

"It's admirable that you want to look out for your sister, but people make mistakes." Hinata countered. "The important thing is that he's changed for the better and is trying to start again. Maybe you should give him a chance."

James remained silent but his face grew stern. Hinata scanned his face and refrained from saying anything more as Sam excitedly ran onto the deck with Jim close behind.

"Hey James, did you see who Hinata brought?" She chimed a grin plain on her face. Jim walked up beside her with a small smile.

"Yeah, I saw." James responded shortly, looking over Jim. "Welcome back."

"Uh, thanks." Jim replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

The four of them stood in an awkward silence until Hinata cleared her throat and spoke up. "Jim is here for the reopening of the Benbo Inn. It's officially opening next week, right Jim?"

"Yeah," Jim nodded, smiling again. "We are having this big celebration the night before." He turned to Sam. "You and your brother are welcome to come."

Sam's cheeks flushed. "Uh, I don't know. I have a lot of stuff to get done…"

"I would really like it if you could come." Jim interrupted.

"She said she was busy." James spoke up, his eyes turning into a glare.

"Actually…" Sam spoke up, fidgeting her hands in front of her. "I could free up my schedule for a little bit. I mean it is just one night."

Jim's face immediately brightened. "Really? Great! My mom will be so excited to see you again."

"I can't wait to see Sarah again! I've been wondering how she has been doing." Sam replied quickly, "If it wasn't for Hinata, I would've had no idea the Benbo was even reopening." She turned towards Hinata. "We'll have to go dress shopping sometime this week!"

Hinata blinked rapidly, "Wh-what? Dress shopping, why?"

"So we can have something to wear for the celebration." She explained. "What were you thinking of wearing?"

Shrugging, Hinata admitted. "What I usually wear, I don't know. Am I supposed to dress up?"

"Yeah actually," Jim told her. "It's a pretty formal occasion."

Hinata sighed and looked at the pleading expression in Sam's eyes. "Alright fine." She resigned. "We'll go buy dresses… I'm not getting anything too frilly though."

"Great!" She exclaimed before turning to Jim, "Do you want to see the rest of the ship?"

"Yeah! I'd love to." He replied, beaming.

"Sam, don't you have better things to do?" James asked, crossing his arms.

Hinata elbowed James in the ribs and told Sam. "Don't mind him, go have fun."

Sam gave a concerned look at her brother before nodding to Hinata and leading Jim below deck.

"What was that for?" James asked once Sam was gone, rubbing his side.

"You are seriously going to have to get over yourself." Hinata scolded him. "I know you just want to protect your sister, but she seriously seems to like Jim and I have a feeling that he might like her back."

"I didn't realize you were Montressor's matchmaker." He mumbled.

"I'm not. I just think you should give them a chance." She defended.

"I'll think about it," James receded.

"Good," Hinata smiled. "Because I have a feeling Jim's going to be tagging along with me when I visit the next few days."

James groaned, causing Hinata to chuckle in response.

Over the course of the next week, Jim and Ben went along with Hinata when she visited the shop. Ben would excitedly work on the ship while Sam would take a break to chat with Jim. Every day they were becoming closer, back to the way things used to be according to Sam. James would fume in the corner, watching them talk while Hinata would try to calm his nerves and occasionally tease him for being overprotective. Before they knew it the day of the reopening of the Inn had approached. Hinata invited Sam and James over to Doc and Amelia's house so they could get ready for the night. Upstairs, Sam and Hinata gussied up while James sat downstairs watching the four babies with Doppler.

Hinata stood in front of the floor length mirror in the large bathroom, looking over her reflection. The blue dress with small white polka-dots buttoned up to the top of her chest with a collar along the edge. Under the tied bow around her waist the knee length dress flared out around her pale legs ending with short white heels on her feet. Shaking her head, her tight red curls of hair bobbed back and forth. With a sigh, she complained. "I can't believe you actually got me to wear a dress…"

Sam turned around, causing her yellow knee-length dress to spin around her. "Oh hush, you look beautiful!"

"Honestly, I'm more surprised that you even like dresses. You were all over the place when we went shopping." Hinata replied, turning to look at Sam.

Shrugging, she admitted, "I don't get the chance to dress up very often. I'm always covered with grease from the ships. So I guess being able to buy a new dress was exciting."

Hinata smiled. "Well that's good enough for me I suppose. I bet Jim will think you're beautiful."

With a small giggle, Sam asked, "You really think so?"

"I don't doubt it for a second." Hinata patted her friend's shoulder before turning towards a counter to apply some makeup.

Sam watched her primp for a moment before commenting. "I'm sorry Riku couldn't be here. He would think you were beautiful too."

Hinata took her hands away from her face and looked down at the counter. "It's alright. Maybe I'll take a picture tonight so I can show him someday."

"Are you girls almost ready?" James called from downstairs.

"Damn it, James! I told you to be patient!" Sam yelled back, causing Hinata to laugh.

"We better get down there before he leaves without us." Hinata chuckled.

She was about to leave the room when Sam asked, "James doesn't like Jim, does he?"

Hinata sighed, "He's just trying to protect you; a little too much in my opinion. Try not to let him bother you."

"Alright," She nodded, before grinning, "Now let's get to the party!"

Hinata glanced at her reflection once more before agreeing, "Yeah, let's go."

She followed Sam out of the bathroom and they headed down the stairs to the main room. The sound of baby giggles echoed up the stairway as James played a game of peek-a-boo with them. He stopped his motions when he heard the girl's footsteps approaching and he stood up. He smiled at Sam, seeing her in a bright yellow dress that flowed behind her as she hurried towards him.

Giving her a hug, he told her, "You look beautiful, sis. You're growing up too fast."

"Not fast enough if you ask me." She countered, before smiling, "But thanks."

James looked away from Sam to see Hinata walking down the stairs and his eyes lit up. Without thinking, he rushed over to her and held out his hand to help her down the steps. Hinata eyed him with uncertainty, but reluctantly placed her hand loosely in his as she was having trouble keeping her balance in the heels.

As he helped her down the last few steps, he gave her an once-over and admitted, "You look absolutely amazing."

Hinata's cheeks flushed involuntarily and once she was off the stairs she quickly retrieved her hand. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, she strained a smile and shortly replied, "Thank you."

"Are you all about ready to go?" Doppler asked, walking into the living room to retrieve his children. He stopped when he saw the girls. "My, you both look lovely. I think this is the first time I've seen you wear a dress, Hinata."

"Yeah, I don't tend to like dressing up." She admitted. "But I have to say, it was fun putting on makeup for once."

"See, I told you." Sam spoke up, picking up one of the feline babies.

"Well then, I'll go get Amelia." Doppler held the three other babies in his arms. "I think she is wearing her captain's uniform tonight."

The three teens nodded as Doppler left to go to the other room. He returned minutes later with Amelia at his side. She wore a navy blue shirt with golden lining and buttons that was short in the front but the back flowed down to her calves. Tight tan pants were mostly covered by her black boots that reached up to her mid-thigh. She was already back to her straight and petite stature, with no indication that she had given birth to a litter barely a week before.

"Hinata," She smiled as she walked out, "That dress is simply stunning on you."

Hinata smiled, "Thank you Amelia, I can't believe that you already fit back into your normal clothes."

She laughed, "Yes, well, the delivery went as smooth as it could, so recovery was rather short."

"If we are all ready, Delilah is prepared to take us to the Inn." Doppler spoke up, looking down at his watch strapped on his wrist. "The celebration will be starting without us if we don't hurry."

The whole group hurried out to the carriage where Delilah, a large amphibious creature, was waiting to pull their ride. Hinata sat between James and Sam inside the carriage car and Amelia sat across from them holding onto all four of her kids; while Doppler sat out front holding the reigns. The ride was spent cheerfully chattering about what they would do at the party and how the Benbo Inn would fare after opening. Within several minutes they had reached their destination and Doppler parked Delilah on the new dock. The sun was setting as they got out of the carriage and they were met with a large array of aliens standing in front of the Inn. A long red ribbon with a big bow was blocking the door and Sarah stood by it with a large pair of scissors in her hands. Her hair was pinned up with curls and she wore a light blue dress that reached to the ground. Her face lit up when she saw the group arrive.

"Delbert, there you are!" She chimed. "Everyone is starting to get restless! Maybe we should take the picture now?"

Doppler and Amelia smiled and walked forward to join Sarah as Ben rushed over to Hinata from the crowd. "Oh Hinata! Wonderful to see you!" He greeted, shaking her hand, "Where is Jack?"

Hinata chuckled, "He's back at the house. I think he was tired today."

Ben's eyes slightly dulled. "Oh alright." Brightening back up he said, "But that's alright! This is so exciting! The reopening of the Inn! I wonder what I'll do with my life now?"

Shrugging, Hinata suggested, "You could always help me fly my ship."

"Ah, that would be great!" He agreed, "Back in space, just like I should be! You know, I think I will take you up on that offer, Captain Hinata!" He saluted her.

With a laugh, she waved him off, "Oh please, don't call me that. But, uh, welcome aboard I guess?"

"Ben, where is Jim?" Sam asked, stepping forward.

Ben shrugged, "I have no idea! He wouldn't miss this though! I'm sure he'll turn up eventually."

"Try to have fun without him." James told her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it would be better if he didn't show up."

Sam sighed, "James I know you don't like Jim, but he's really great and it's nice to finally reconnect with him. Just, don't do anything weird tonight, alright?"

"I'll try," He told her, getting a hug from her as thanks.

"Picture time!" Ben exclaimed, running over to the entrance of the Inn.

The entire group of aliens stood in front of the Inn around Amelia and Sarah, who were behind the ribbon holding the scissors. Doppler stood several feet away from them with a large camera in his hands, ready to snap the picture to commemorate the moment

"Hinata!" Sarah called, "Hurry over here, I want you in this picture too!"

"Really?" Hinata asked with a small smile, before following orders and rushing over. She stood next to Captain Amelia and smiled as Doppler snapped the picture with a bright flash.

After the picture was taken cheers erupted from the crowd as Sarah cut the ribbon; officially reopening her Benbo Inn. The doors were immediately opened and everyone rushed inside to be met with a live band already playing festive music. The round tables had been cleared away for the night to allow room for dancing and colorful decorations were hung on the walls and off the ceiling.

"I'll get the cake!" Ben exclaimed over the hustle and bustle, about to head over to the kitchen.

Hinata quickly felt overwhelmed by the crowd and followed Ben to the other room. Squeezing past a few aliens, she pushed open the swinging door and entered the silver kitchen. Ben stood at the counter with a large chef's hat adorning his head. Hinata walked up next to him to see him slicing a large round chocolate cake with white icing.

"Can I help?" She asked.

"Sure can!" He told her. "If you keep cutting the cake, I'll take these pieces out to the party."

Hinata nodded, taking the knife from Ben and silently slicing away as Ben gathered the plates of already prepared pieces. The loud commotion from the party boomed into the empty kitchen when Ben swung the door open but was quickly muffled again as the door closed. She stood in silence and soon got lost in thought; not noticing when the door swung open again.

"Are you alright?" James asked, coming up beside her.

Startled, Hinata jumped and cut her finger with the tip of the knife. She placed the knife on the counter with a clang and quickly shook her finger in front of her. "What was that for?" She asked in frustration; putting the tip of her sliced finger in her mouth.

James reached forward to look at her cut, but she backed away from him. With a sigh, he told her. "You just ran off right after we all got inside; so I wanted to make sure you were alright."

Taking her finger out of her mouth, Hinata quickly examined the small incision and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine." Placing her arm back down at her side, she looked up at him, "I just get uncomfortable in crowds, so I thought I would come in here to help Ben with the cake."

With a laugh under his breath, James informed her, "Yeah, I don't think he's going to be coming back in here any time soon. He's off being the crazy robot he is."

Hinata chuckled, "That's Ben for you." She looked back at the cake and told him. "I should get back to work though. Ben only took enough plates to feed a few people."

"Do you want some help?" He asked, "And you should probably bandage up your cut first."

"Yes, mom." Hinata sarcastically remarked, rolling her eyes, "And uh, sure I guess. You could put the slices on the plates and take them out to the party."

"Sounds good to me." He agreed, getting to work.

Hinata rinsed off her cut in the sink and searched the cupboards for some bandages. She turned around when she heard James opening some drawers behind her.

"Here they are." He told her, holding out a white medical cloth to her.

"Thanks," She told him, taking the item. She stood next to him while she wrapped and cleaned her hand.

"You know," James spoke up, "It's hard to imagine what me and Sam's life would be like without you."

Hinata paused her movements, unsure of how to respond. After a few seconds she chuckled uncomfortably. "Yeah, Sam told me that the gold I gave you guys can really turn your shop around."

"I mean more than just that though." He told her, putting the knife he had been using down beside the cake. "You're the first friend Sam has made in years. And…" His cheeks flushed. "You know how I feel about you."

"Don't bring that up tonight, James." Hinata muttered. "You know I don't feel the same way."

"Are you sure about that?" He pried. "I noticed the way you blushed when I helped you down the stairs back at the house."

Hinata tightened her muscles involuntarily and defended. "I just wasn't expecting you to help me and I'm always more self-conscious when I dress up. Plus, I have Riku in my life; I don't have room for anyone else."

"Oh yeah, Riku." James sighed in defeat. "That guy again." Hinata was about to respond when James grabbed several plates of cake and mumbled. "I'm going to take these out there."

Hinata watched James hastily leave the kitchen and when he was gone she turned back around and groaned. She leaned her elbows on the counter and planted her face in her hands. "Why can't he just get a girlfriend, so he can leave me alone?" She mumbled in exasperation to herself.

"Hinata!" Sam chimed shoving the kitchen door open and getting her attention. "Jim just got here! Wait until you seem him, he's so handsome!"

Looking up with a smile, Hinata laughed, "Well don't tell me about it, go talk to him!"

Sam giggled and left the kitchen in a rush; leaving Hinata once again alone. Closing her eyes for a moment, Hinata took a deep breath and then walked forward to rejoin the party. As she pushed the door open, she could see Jim surrounded by people with Sam beside him, patiently waiting for a moment to talk with Jim herself. Hinata chuckled under her breath and stood along the wall, watching the celebration unfold. James was handing out cake across the room, glancing icy glares towards Jim whenever he got the chance. Ben was dancing in the center of the dining room as if no one was watching; but little did he know that he was getting strange looks from almost every guest. Soon the crowd around Jim dispersed and everyone began dancing again. Hinata clapped along to the music, watching as Jim danced with Sarah and Doppler with Amelia; eventually sitting down in a booth to enjoy a piece of the cake. As she ate, Sam came and sat across from her with a grin plain on her face.

"Are you having a good time?" She asked Hinata, grabbing her own plate of cake.

Hinata shrugged, "Yeah, I've never been a big fan of parties, so I'm a little uncomfortable to be honest; but I am enjoying myself."

"Aw, just loosen up for once!" Sam told her. "Both you and James look so gloomy tonight." She paused, "Wait, did something happen between you two?"

Hinata was about to respond when Jim walked up to the table and held out his hand to Sam. "Could I have this dance?" He asked her with a smile.

Sam glanced over at Hinata and Hinata just rolled her eyes and motioned her head towards Jim. "Well, alright, if you insist." Sam told him, blushing as she took his hand.

Putting her fork down on her empty plate, Hinata watched the couple dance. They laughed while they talked and spun around the dining room.

"Well, I guess I should have expected them to dance at some point tonight." James complained, plopping down in the booth across from Hinata. He solemnly watched the couple and leaned back in his seat.

"Sheesh, Sam wasn't kidding, you are gloomy." Hinata noted, examining James's face. "Is there anything I can do?"

Immediately perking up, James smirked. "You could dance with me."

Hinata scoffed, "Not on your life."

"Oh come on!" James pleaded, "I promise I won't try anything weird."

"I don't dance." She simply told him.

"But why bother dressing up if you aren't even going to dance once?" He asked her, crossing his arms.

"Because your sister made me, that's why." She replied, crossing her own arms.

Resigning, James slumped back in his chair. "Fine, I just thought it would be fun."

Hinata looked over at James and sighed, "Are you seriously going to pout because I won't dance with you?"

"Maybe…" He mumbled.

Hinata rolled her eyes and looked over at Sam, who was glancing over at her brother concerned. "Ugh, fine!" Hinata exclaimed, standing up and holding out her hand for James. "Just this one dance, for your sister's sake; then you have to stop throwing your pathetic pity-party. Alright?"

James immediately lit up and grabbed Hinata's hand, agreeing with a grin "Deal."

He quickly led her to the dance floor and placed his other hand along her waist. The music was playing softly, causing them to dance at a slower pace. Hinata glanced uncomfortably around her, feeling the stares of people around the room.

"Don't worry about them." James told her, "Just focus on me."

Hinata scoffed, "Oh please, that would only make me feel worse."

"Ouch," James laughed, "Insulting your own dance partner, classy."

"Well you walked right into that one." She told him with a laugh, accidentally stepping on his foot. "Oops, sorry." She cringed.

"Nah, it's fine." He told her, "I didn't need that foot anyways."

"Oh really?" She raised her eyebrow, "And how exactly do you plan on living life with only one foot?"

"I'll get a mechanical replacement, I'm sure Sam could whip one up for me."

"She works with ships not limbs."

James shrugged, "Ah, same thing."

"I don't think so." Hinata shook her head.

"Oh come on, I bet you would like me better with some cyborg leg," He teased. "It would show I was daring and adventurous!"

"Or just stupid." Hinata replied without thinking.

"Man, you're feisty today." James laughed.

"Oh stop it, Riku." Hinata laughed back, lightly hitting his chest.

James stopped dancing, pain clear in his eyes as he muttered, "James. I'm James."

Hinata's eyes widened as she realized what she said, "James, right, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"What's so great about this Riku guy, anyways?" He asked frustration clear in his voice as he pulled his hands back from Hinata. "You're just obsessed with him."

"It's not that, James." Hinata tried to explain.

"Oh, at least now you remember my name." He bit, crossing his arms, getting a hurt look from Hinata. "Why can't you just get that Riku isn't here?"

"I know he isn't here! His name just slipped, alright?" She told him, frustration rising in her own voice.

"Is he on your mind all the time?" He asked her, his face mixed with pain and irritation. "How long until you figure out that you aren't going to see him again?"

"You don't know that James." Hinata bit back, clenching her hands into fists. "You know Sam and I have been trying to find a way to get the border down."

"Yeah, and you guys have been having such great luck." James sarcastically remarked.

Hinata felt the burn of stares from the surrounding guests noticing their argument; but she ignored them and replied. "Stop it James! I'm not just going to stop trying to get home!"

"For how long?" He replied, putting his arms in the air exasperated.

"As long as it takes!" She yelled. "I don't care what you say…"

"You know what Hinata?" He interrupted, "You are never going to get home, alright? And the longer you keep lying to yourself the worse-"

He was cut short as Hinata slammed her fist into his right eye. The music and the surrounding conversation immediately fell silent as James staggered backwards in pain. Everyone stared at them wide-eyed as Hinata turned around and stormed out of the Inn without saying a word. The cold air stung her bare skin as she pushed the door open and rushed outside. Without looking back, she hastily walked away from the Inn, her cheeks flushed with anger. She heard the door to the Inn open behind her, but she refused to see who it was.

"Hinata!" Amelia called after her, "Hinata, wait!"

"I'm not going to apologize for defending myself!" Hinata yelled back. "He had no right to say that!"

Shaking her head, Amelia broke into a run and swiftly caught up to Hinata's pace. When she reached her, she held out her hand in front of Hinata and made her slow to a stop. "I'm not going to ask you to apologize." She told her. "That young man's actions were borderline imbecilic."

Hinata snorted a short laugh, despite the anger she was feeling. "Imbecilic, huh?"

"Colette is no doubt going to be interested to hear about how well you integrated our training into real life practice." Amelia told her with a smirk.

"Does that mean it was a good hit?" Hinata asked, a smile creeping on her face.

"Most excellent," Amelia chuckled, getting Hinata to join in the small laughter. After a moment, Amelia's expression went serious and she placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder. "I came out here to make sure you are alright. I didn't hear the entirety of the quarrel, but I heard enough to cause concern."

Hinata sighed, "Thanks… yeah I'll be fine. I guess James just hit a sore spot that I wasn't prepared for and I just over-reacted." She finally looked behind her at the Inn. "Is he alright?"

"Just a slight bruising." Amelia assured her. "He will recover within a week." When Hinata stayed silent, she asked. "Do you want to come back to the celebration?"

Hinata shook her head. "No… I think it would be best if I went back to the house. If Sarah still wants me working for her after all that, I'll have to be back here early tomorrow."

"She still wants you for work, I assure you." She told her, patting her shoulder, "Be on the alert on your walk; the night is a dangerous time for a stroll."

"I'll be careful, thank you." Hinata sighed. "Tell everyone… that I'm sorry."

Amelia nodded and Hinata walked away, down the long path back home.

The following two weeks Hinata began working as a waitress at the Benbo Inn. She would occasionally visit Sam at the shop after her shift to get basic lessons on how to use her new ship; but avoided talking to James. Jim spent most of his shore-leave spending time with Sam while working on his laser sword prototype with Hinata's gauntlets. Nearing the end of the two weeks Jim had created a working model and Hinata couldn't wait to try them out after her shift at the Inn.

The sun was setting as Hinata rushed to Sam's shop with Jack in tow. Hardly any aliens were bustling through the marketplace as the mid-day rush had already passed for the day. She made it to the alley without trouble and ran inside to find James in the front room.

She quickly slowed to a stop and the smile on her face gradually disappeared. Rubbing the back of her neck, she greeted, "Hey…"

"Hey…" He replied, just as uncomfortable as Hinata; but something seemed to be on his mind.

They stood in an awkward silence until they accidentally both spoke at once.

"I want to apologize…" They said in unison.

"Really?" James said surprised. "For what? Getting mad about something I shouldn't have said in the first place?"

"Well… I shouldn't have reacted as… strongly as I did." Hinata admitted, rubbing her hands in front of her. "I've been feeling awful about it."

James smiled and assured her, "Don't. I shouldn't have pushed you to that point." He averted his gaze, "I was being selfish and was taking out my frustration on you." They stood in silence a moment before he continued. "I wanted to let you know that I would understand if you didn't want to talk to me anymore and that I promise I won't say anything about Riku anymore. You've gone through a lot lately and rather than thinking about how hard it must be for you to deal with it, I've just been concerned with how long it would take you to get over it and go out with me… so basically, I'm sorry."

"You were pretty awful." Hinata agreed, snickering when James gave her a look. Walking forward, she stopped in front of him and told him. "But thank you for admitting it."

James looked at Hinata, trying to hide his smile, "You're welcome, I guess."

"Hinata, you're here!" Sam called from the factory room. "Come on! You've got to see these laser blades!"

"Be right there!" Hinata replied, moving past James to go to the other room.

She ran in and saw Jim holding her gauntlets as he stood on the deck of her ship. Sam waved her over from the deck's railing and Hinata ran onto the vessel. Approaching Jim, she looked down at her gloves. A dark maroon metal casing was added around the arm with a gold metal strip right above the wrist that had a thin opening along the front.

"Do they really work?" She asked, as Jim handed them to her.

"We won't know for sure until you try them on." Jim told her. "They are supposed to only activate when you wear them and make a specific hand motion."

"Alright, let's do this then." Hinata smirked, putting on the gauntlets. "Now what's the motion?"

"Make a fist with your hand but don't completely curl your fingers and keep your thumb flat." Sam told her, waiting for Hinata to comply. "Now press your fingertips into the bottom of your palm."

Hinata make a face of discomfort as she tried to follow Sam's orders. "It's not the most comfortable motion you know."

"Which would make you doing the motion on accident all the more unlikely." James pointed out, walking onto the ship's deck.

Figuring out the movement, Hinata pressed her fingertips into the bottom of her palm. Instantly, a bright blue laser beam shot out from the thin sliver of gold metal at the top of her wrist. The beam went out for about a foot and pointed to a sharp tip at the end. Everyone stared at the blue translucent blade in awe.

Hinata chuckled, "This is so awesome." She did the same motion with her other gauntlet, getting the same laser blade reaction. Then redoing the same movement with each of her hands, the daggers were gone. "I can't believe you actually did it! And so quickly too!"

Jim shrugged and admitted, "Well I did have some help from Sam; but I already had a pretty solid idea of what I wanted to do."

Jack floated onto the ship after he was done flying around the factory. The charm from Captain Flint's necklace was finally placed on a light blue collar as Hinata had promised him months before. He licked Hinata's cheek and began sniffing her gauntlets. Hinata scratched him behind the ears as she continued to talk with her friends on the deck of her fully built ship. Soon Jim had to make his way home and Hinata decided to tag along with him. Saying goodbye to Sam and James she followed Jim out of the shop and back to Doppler and Amelia's home.

Within the next few days, Jim was getting ready to go back to the Interstellar Academy, much to Sam's dismay. Hinata had to be at the Benbo Inn extra early the day of Jim's departure as Sarah had decided to throw her son a farewell party. As she walked to her job, the sun was barely rising in the sky and the chilly breeze brushed past Hinata's bare arms, causing her to shiver. She looked up at the sky watching the stars slowly disappear as the sun rose. Hope swelled up inside her as it did every morning, but she pushed herself forward. Soon she reached the entrance of the Inn and she was about to open the door when suddenly an ear piercing sound rang through the entirety of space. Hinata cupped her hands over her ears and tightly closed her eyes, trying to drown out the ringing in her head. Following the sound, the ground beneath her feet slightly trembled, causing Hinata to almost lose her footing.

Sarah quickly opened the door once the tremors had passed and found Hinata standing right outside. "Are you alright?" She asked Hinata, pulling her inside.

Hinata followed Sarah and sat down in a nearby chair. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, she replied, "I-I think so. What was that?"

"I haven't the faintest idea." Sarah admitted. "We rarely get earthquakes on Montressor."

"Sarah!" Doppler called, running down the stairs into the dining room, "Sarah, are you alright?"

"Yes, Delbert, we're fine." Sarah turned to tell him.

"Do you know what that was, Doc?" Hinata asked.

Doppler sat across from Hinata and placed his hand on his chin. "I have a hypothesis, but I don't want to get any hopes up until I am absolutely positive."

Hinata's eyes widened, "Hopes up? You mean…"

"I can't be sure," He interrupted, abruptly standing up. "Sarah, I apologize, but I must attend to this research immediately. I do hope you and Jim can understand."

Sarah sighed, but she nodded. "Of course I understand, Delbert. I'll explain it to Jim."

"Doc," Hinata stood up. "Let me come with you."

"Sarah needs you here today." Doppler told her. "I will alert you immediately if I find anything useful."

Hinata obviously didn't agree, but she took a deep breath and resigned, "Alright let me know what you find out."

Doppler nodded and immediately left the Inn to rush back to his study in his home. Hinata forced herself to push the event out of her head so she could focus on getting the Inn ready for the farewell party. Within a couple hours the Inn opened its doors; customers and friends began swarming in, keeping Hinata very busy. She caught sight of Sam and Jim entering the Inn but was barely able to share more than a few words with them before she was whisked away to the next table. The day began passing at a quick pace and soon the sun was at midday. Hinata placed a large round tray on a table and began placing dirtied dishes onto it. As she worked, she heard the front bell chime, alerting her to a new customer.

Without hesitation she turned around and saw a tall male figure standing at the entrance wearing a hooded black coat. Beaming a bright smile, she greeted, "Welcome to the Benbo Inn! I'm Hinata! I'll be right with you alright?"

The figure stared back at her in silence when he suddenly turned around and bolted out of the shop; ignoring Hinata's calls after him. Without looking behind him, the figure ran behind the Inn and once he was out of sight he slowed to a stop. Catching his breath, he pulled back his hood, freeing his long light-blue hair and a black sash covering his eyes. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a round silver device and pressed a blue button in the center of it. Within seconds the center of the device lit up and a small hologram of a man wearing dark robes and a scarf concealing his face appeared.

"Riku…" The deep voice of the hologram spoke up. "Did you find something?"

Riku took a moment to find his words. "Yeah… Hinata's here."

"She is there?" A young girl's voice asked. Suddenly another hologram of a blonde teen girl appeared next to the man on the device.

"Namine, you are not supposed to appear on these calls." The deep voiced man scolded her.

"But Riku," Namine ignored the man's words. "Is she there?"

Riku nodded. "How did you know she would be here? And why didn't you tell me I might find her here?"

"Just a feeling I had… I guess." She admitted, before telling him. "I didn't want to get your hopes up on a hunch."

The man sighed and asked. "Have you given away your identity to her?"

"No," Riku shook his head. "I… sort of just ran away." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I wasn't really expecting to see her." He allowed himself a small smile. "I can't believe it…"

"If Namine was able to pick up on her heart then she may be in danger." The man told him.

The smile was quickly replaced with a frown, as Riku asked. "Danger? Who else would be looking for her?"

"She's had past dealings with the Organization." He told him, and before Riku could inquire further, he continued. "Is she inside the Inn?"

Riku opened his mouth to answered and then quietly chuckled. "She's working as a waitress."

The man nodded and thought for a moment, before ordering Riku. "Go back to her, but keep your identity concealed for the moment. You don't want to draw attention to either of you. Wait until she ends her shift before revealing yourself. Then we must bring her to Twilight Town to keep her safe."

"Keep her safe?" Riku repeated. "What exactly did she do to the Organization?"

"That is a story she should tell you herself." He avoided the question. "Now hurry." Without waiting for Riku to respond, he cut his hologram transmission and only Namine stayed on the line.

"How are you?" Namine asked him.

"I… don't really know." Riku admitted. "What do I say to her? I don't even know where to begin."

"Sometimes the truth is all the heart needs to hear." She told him with a smile. "I know you'll do great."

Riku half-smiled at Namine, "Thanks."

"Sure!" She chimed, before telling him, "Good luck." With that she cut the transmission and Riku was left alone.

With a nervous breath, Riku put his black hood back on to conceal his face and identity. Turning around, he made his way back to the front of the Inn and forced himself to open the front door.

Hinata turned around as the bell alerted her to a customer and her eyes lit up. "There you are! I have to take this tray to the kitchen, but then I'll be back to help you find a seat, alright?"

Riku silently nodded and watched Hinata bring the tray to the other room. He looked around the busy dining room. Different kinds of aliens, of the like he had never seen, ate and chattered away at different tables. The only humans he saw were Sam and Jim eating in a corner booth.

"Alright," Hinata told him, rubbing her hands on an apron tied around her waist as she rushed back into the dining room. "Do you prefer booth or table?" She stared up at Riku expectantly, but he just looked back at her in silence. After several seconds of awkwardness, she cleared her throat. "Alright then, how about a booth?"

With a quick nod, Riku followed Hinata as she led him to a booth that was almost hidden away behind a half-wall that was right under the stairwell. As he sat down Hinata handed him a menu, lightly brushing his hand against hers when she placed it down; causing a spike of chills to spread through them.

Hinata quickly retracted her hand with a gasp and cleared her throat, stammering, "Ok so, like I mentioned before, my name is Hinata and I'll be your hostess today." Regaining her composure, she went into her routine monologue. "If you need anything just wave me down or yell out 'hey you' or basically whatever works best for you. Reaching into a front pocket in her apron she pulled out a pad of paper and a pen, "Can I get you started on a drink?"

Riku stared up at her in silence again, trying to figure out how he would communicate without giving away his identity.

"You can just point to it if you really don't want to talk." Hinata told him with a smile. "Honestly, I'm not a people person myself, so I get not wanting to strike up conversation."

Turning the menu over, Riku pointed at the first drink he saw and watched as Hinata jotted down the order.

Hinata placed the paper and pen back in her apron and chimed. "Sounds good! Or really, I suppose it would be just good since you didn't say anything… Either way, I'll be right back with that." She smiled and waited for some sort of reaction, but when he didn't give her one she muttered, "Ok then…" And awkwardly walked away.

Once she was gone to retrieve his order, Riku quietly groaned and planted his face in his hands. "This is going to harder than I thought…" He whispered to himself. He looked up from his hands to see Hinata giving him a quick glance and his heart suddenly jumped. "But I can't believe it's actually her." He smiled to himself, anxious for her shift to end.


	9. Unexpected

Chapter 9

Riku silently sat in the booth Hinata had led him to. He watched from behind his hood as she scurried around the busy dining room, delivering orders and greeting new guests. She had a smile on her face but Riku sensed that something was off. Her golden eyes didn't match the cheeriness in her voice. He was shaken out of his thoughts when she approached his table with a foamy yellow drink in her hands.

"Here you are," She chimed, placing the drink on the table. "Are you ready to order some food?"

He looked warily at the beverage before opening the large menu in front of him. All the names of the entrees were things he had never heard of before and the descriptions of the foods didn't do much to entice him.

"It can be a little overwhelming if you aren't from around here." Hinata told him, causing him to glance up at her as she leaned over so she could get a better look at the menu. Pointing to the bottom right corner of the menu, she explained. "Basically this is outlined by alien species and what they like to eat. You'll want to make sure you stay away from ordering Dextro foods; if you're human like me, then it will tear your stomach apart." She laughed, before continuing, "But here is a small list of well-known human food; like burgers and stuff." She glanced over at Riku, backing up when she realized she was only inches apart from him. Clearing her throat, she straightened her apron and asked, "Would you like one of those?"

Riku nodded and Hinata jotted down the order. The bell by the Inn's entrance rang and Hinata quickly looked behind her to see James walking in. Riku noticed a genuine smile appear on Hinata's face as James approached her.

Placing his hand on Hinata's shoulder, James greeted. "Hey Hinata, you're busy today, huh?"

"Hey you," Hinata replied, removing his hand. "I was wondering if you were going to come in today."

"I come in every day." James told her, sitting in a booth behind Riku.

"Well I know," Hinata started, walking over to his table. "But I wasn't sure if you would show since its Jim's goodbye party all day today."

James shrugged, "He's over at the shop everyday anyways. This way I can see you and keep an eye on him at the same time."

Hinata chuckled and reached into her apron to pull out a pen and paper, "Well alright then. Do you want the usual?"

"You know me so well." James smiled as Hinata took down his usual order. "Hey, are you going on break soon?"

"If Michele ever gets here." Hinata sighed. "She was supposed to be here a half-an-hour ago."

"She's not usually late is she?" James asked.

"No, this is a first." Hinata admitted, "I hope she's safe and all, but I wish she could've picked a different day to be late." She put her pad of paper back in her apron. "If she gets here then I should be able to go on break… why?"

James rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking we could eat together."

Riku turned in his seat and leaned against the wall so he could have a view of James and Hinata talking. Eyeing James and trying to figure the guy out, he picked up the drink Hinata had gotten for him and brought it to his lips. His stomach churned the moment the liquid hit his tongue and in a gut reaction he immediately spit it out with a coughing fit.

Hinata was immediately at his side roughly patting his back and failing to hold back her laughter. "You know, I was wondering if you knew what drink you were ordering." She told him, trying to keep from doubling over in laughter. "I had a similar reaction the first time I tried it."

As Riku regained his breath, he was thankful he had the hood concealing his face as his cheeks were deeply flushed. He pushed the drink across the table as Hinata recovered from her laughing fit and she began lightly rubbing his back.

"Are you alright?" She asked him, getting a reluctant nod in response. Moving her hand from his back to his shoulder, she offered him. "I can get you something else if you would like. I apologize for not warning you about the drink. For all I knew you might have found it delicious." She smiled at him and without thinking, rubbed her thumb along his shoulder.

"Um… is there something I should know?" James spoke up, motioning his head towards Hinata's hand when she gave him a confused look.

"What?" She asked as she looked down at her hand. With a gasp, she quickly retracted her touch and blushed. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She stammered to Riku. "I don't know what I was thinking. It just sort of happened… not that that's any good excuse." Clasping her hands behind her back uncomfortably, she told him. "Um, I'll go get you a different drink…" She glanced over at James before scurrying away.

James looked at Riku and then back at Hinata, before quickly getting up from his seat to hurry after Hinata as she pushed into the kitchen. The kitchen was filled with chefs cooking at their stations and steam billowed in the air as James grabbed Hinata's arm, gently pulling her to face him.

"What was that about?" He asked her calmly, "Are you alright?"

Hinata fidgeted her hands in front of her as she admitted, "Did you feel the earthquake this morning?"

James gave her a confused look, "What? Um… yeah I think so. It woke me up. But what's that got to do with anything? Earthquakes are rare, but they still happen."

"What if it wasn't a regular quake though?" She asked.

Realizing what she was referring to, James deeply sighed, "Hinata…"

"James, even Doc thinks this might be it." She interrupted him. "And the same day of the tremors we get this weird guest; one that doesn't want to talk and obviously doesn't know a lot about the food here. I had to help him figure out what food to order."

"Hinata, that doesn't mean anything." He told her. "I'm sorry, but that is too far of a stretch. There are tons of people that need help figuring out what they want to order. And maybe he can't talk."

She shook her head, "No, I think he can. He seems uncomfortable and every time we touch I feel like I know him."

"Don't be ridiculous, Hinata."

"James, please, I'm being serious."

"I know you are and that's what scares me. You've put these romantic notions on this random stranger, thinking that there's a chance he's actually Riku… Hinata, I'm sorry, but there is no way."

"James…" Hinata pleaded.

"No really, just hear me out." He interrupted. "The same day the border supposedly goes down the guy you've been talking about these past few months just happens to show up on this planet in the exact Inn you work at? That doesn't sound a little crazy to you?"

Hinata opened her mouth to object, but closed it with a sigh in defeat. Putting her head down, she mumbled "Maybe you're right… I'm sorry. I don't know what's come over me…"

James lightly tugged on Hinata's arm and she allowed him to pull her into a hug. "It's alright."

"I wish it was Riku…" She whispered; her voice breaking.

"I know…" James replied, hugging her tighter.

The door to the kitchen swung open and Sarah rushed inside calling, "Hinata, where are…" She slowed to a stop when she saw James and Hinata hugging. "Is something wrong?"

"I think she just needs a break." James spoke up for her.

Sarah looked at Hinata worriedly and nodded her head, "Yes, I agree. It's been very busy today." She walked up to Hinata and waited for her to pull away from James, before telling her. "Michele isn't here yet, but I'll take over for a little bit. Go relax for a little bit alright?"

Hinata reluctantly nodded, "Yeah, sorry about disappearing like that."

With a smile, Sarah told her. "Don't worry, I understand needing a breather. Next time though, make sure to come tell me when you need one."

"Deal." Hinata smiled and was about to follow James out of the kitchen, when she remembered, "Oh yeah, there is a guest in a black coat that needs a new drink. Could you get him limeade with extra ice?"

Sarah nodded, "Of course."

"Oh, and he doesn't like to talk." Hinata told her with a smile. "And he needs help with knowing what to order." She started to laugh, "I learned that the hard way."

James tugged on her arm, "Come on Hinata, I'm sure she can figure it out. He's just another customer."

Reluctantly, Hinata followed James out of the kitchen and went to his booth. She sat down right behind Riku and slumped in her chair.

"Are you going to be gloomy now?" James asked her. "I thought you would like a break."

Hinata shook her head, "I'm not gloomy." When James gave her a look, she sat up and leaned her elbows on the table. "I just… what if the border is down?"

James averted his eyes and sighed. "Hinata… can we not?"

"I'm serious, James." She spoke up, looking at him adamantly. "If it is down then everything is going to change."

Crossing his arms, James gave in and asked. "Alright fine, what are you going to do if it is down? Are you going to go look for Riku?"

Riku perked up as he heard his name and then was pleasantly surprised when Sarah brought him his favorite drink.

Hinata nodded, "I won't just be looking for Riku though. I have a lot of things I need to do."

"Really?" James asked, surprised. "I've only heard you talk endlessly about Riku."

"Okay, first off, I do not talk endlessly about him." Hinata clarified, glancing behind her when she heard a quiet chuckle from Riku. "And yes, I have to look for my younger sister too."

"You have a sister? What's her name?"

"Kairi."

Riku slammed his limeade onto the table with a loud glassy clang and turned around, staring in bewilderment at Hinata; causing her and James to startle.

"Is something wrong?" Hinata asked him, trying to make out his shrouded features from under his hood. The bell from the entrance chimed, catching Hinata's attention and she widened her eyes as two more figures in black coats entered the Inn. She motioned her head towards the men and asked Riku. "Are you part of some Black Coat Club or something?"

Riku gave her a confused look before following Hinata's gaze and seeing the men she was referring to. He quickly shook his head in response and began scanning the area for an escape plan.

"Oh, you're not with them?" She asked, getting another shake of his head in response. She looked back at the men as they looked around the dining room, not seeing Riku as his booth was behind a wall. Sarah approached to greet them but they ignored her. "I wonder what they want…" Hinata commented, about to get up from her seat when Riku grabbed her arm. "What is it?" She asked him.

"Hinata," James spoke up, "I agree with that guy, I don't think you should talk to them. Something seems off..."

"Yeah, but…" Hinata started, pushing Riku's hand off her arm and standing from her seat. "But why are they here?"

Despite the warnings from Riku and James, Hinata walked up to the two dark figures. Once she was in front of them, she got their attention. "Um, hello? Did you want me to help you find a table?"

The men looked at Hinata and immediately stopped walking. The front man outstretched his arms at his sides and exclaimed, "Hey, Princess! Just the girl we were looking for!" Reaching up, he pulled back his hood to reveal an older man's face with a black eye patch over his left eye and a dark scar on his right cheek. His black and grayed hair was pulled into a tight ponytail that fell down his back.

Hinata's eyes widened and she stumbled a couple steps back, stammering. "B-braig?"

The surrounding chatter from the patrons fell silent as Hinata stumbled backwards; averting their stares to the two black hooded men.

The man scoffed, "Braig? As if, the name's Xigbar now." Placing his finger to his head, he commented, "Good to see your memory is intact though."

"What are you doing here?" Hinata asked, clenching her fists.

"Better question is what are you doing in a dump like this?" He avoided her question.

Hinata crossed her arms with a scowl on her face. "This is my home and I don't appreciate you just barging in. Now tell me why you're here!"

Xigbar put his hands up in surrender and laughed, "I see nine years have done nothing to your attitude!"

Hinata glanced at the black hooded man that silently stood behind Xigbar, before asking. "Is Xehanort here with you?"

"Nah, the old man sends his regards though." He replied. "We are actually here with a message from him."

"What is it?" Hinata asked sternly, feeling the stares of her friends as she spoke.

Xigbar crossed his arms and looked at Hinata for a moment, before asking. "How would you like to become a member of the Organization?"

Riku abruptly got up from his seat at the mention of the Organization, but remained hidden behind the wall. James also got up from his seat and came up beside Riku.

"Do you know those guys?" He asked Riku quietly.

Riku nodded his head and then whispered back, "I'm not with them, but I know them. They're bad news."

"Is Hinata in danger?" James asked, getting nervous.

"Not yet." Riku told him.

James looked towards Hinata and was about to respond to Riku when Hinata yelled at Xigbar, "I already told that monster that I didn't want anything to do with his Organization!"

"Well you know, times change." Xigbar shrugged, "It has been nine years since you rejected us. And I've got to say, you're looking great for a girl in her twenties. You barely look a day older than the last I saw you."

Hinata scowled, "What happened to the other members? I thought there was only supposed to be thirteen…"

"I suppose you could say we've had something of a cleaning of house recently in our Oblivion headquarters." He admitted with a shrug. "We're four members short now and Xemnas thought we could offer you another chance. You come with us and we not only get you out of this dump, you get that purpose you've always wanted."

"You can't seriously think I'm going to join your group after what you did…" Hinata responded with confusion laced in her voice. "Why are you really here?"

"Hinata, who are these men?" Sarah rushed to Hinata's side.

"You mean you haven't told them about us, Princess?" Xigbar smirked, "And here I was thinking that you wanted to see your friends again."

Hinata whispered to Sarah, "They are people I know from my galaxy. I think the border is down."

"Are they dangerous?" Sarah asked.

"Dangerous?" Xigbar spoke up, "Our Organization is a peaceful group."

Hinata scoffed, "Yeah, make sure to tell that to all the people you tortured and turned into Heartless."

Xigbar shook his head, "Always focusing on the negative."

"Why are you really here?" Hinata asked.

"To offer you a chance to re-join the Organization." Xigbar raised his arms. "I don't know how many times I have to repeat it for you."

"Well I'm not taking it." Hinata crossed her arms. "And you can tell Xehanort that I don't want anything to do with his little group."

"You did once." The man behind Xigbar spoke up. He pulled back his hood to reveal long bright blue hair and an X-shaped scar plain on his face.

Hinata's eyes widened and she took a couple steps forward in disbelief. "Isa?"

"Saix." He corrected her, outstretching his arm. With a bright flash of light, a large Claymore weapon appeared in his hand. "I would suggest reconsidering the offer."

Murmurs and uncomfortable chatter began waving through the dining room when the weapon appeared. Hinata glanced around her at the people and stammered, "Isa, what are you doing? Are you a member too?"

"We were always going to be members, Hinata." Saix told her, with an emotionless tone. "At least, you were supposed to be one before you betrayed us."

"If you think I betrayed you, why do you want me in your Organization?" Hinata asked. "This isn't making sense."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Saix told her, seemingly bored as he readjusted his weapon. "Now unless you want some of these creatures to end up as casualties, you might want to reconsider coming with us."

Hinata gasped at Saix's casual tone when referring to killing. Panicked cries and screams erupted from the crowd. They refused to move from their seats in fear of how Saix would react. Instead they all stared at Hinata in anticipation of her answer. She felt the burns of all the stares burrowing into her as the tension in the room steadily rose.

"What happened to you Isa?" Hinata eventually asked.

"Nine years changes people." He responded with an unsettling smile. "Now what's your answer?"

Hinata looked around the room and caught sight of Riku glancing over the side of the wall at her. She locked eyes with him and sighed. Turning back around, she asked. "If I go with you, do you promise to leave everyone else alone?"

"Hinata, no!" Sam spoke up, getting up from her seat and rushing over to her. Linking her arm with Hinata's she defiantly stared at Xigbar and Saix, "You aren't taking her anywhere."

"Sam don't…" Hinata whispered. "You don't know what they are capable of."

"I can't just sit there and do nothing." Sam whispered back.

James was about to move to join his sister, but Riku grabbed his arm. "Don't…" He told James. "You'll only make things worse. I'll take care of it."

Riku pulled James back and then let go of his arm to walk forward. In silence he came up behind Hinata and immediately got the attention of Xigbar and Saix.

Xigbar's eyes lit up, "Oh ho! Seems like the infamous Imposter is here too! Isn't today just our lucky day?"

Hinata quickly glanced up at Riku behind her as he placed his hand on her shoulder, before turning back to Xigbar and Saix. "I'll go with you… just let me grab my things."

"Hinata, don't" Sam told her in a quieted voice, trying to pull her back.

"I have to, Sam." Hinata told her. "I don't want you or anyone else getting hurt."

Xigbar reached forward and grabbed Sam's arm, pulling her back. Jim and James immediately went on edge as Xigbar commented, "If you want to go so badly, why not come along?"

"Leave her alone!" Hinata yelled as Sam tried to wriggle out of Xigbar's grasp, "I told you I would go, so leave her be!"

"Think of her as a security to make sure you won't try anything when we leave." Saix told her.

Hinata was about to object further, but Xigbar told her, "Now go on, get your things so we can leave these people in peace."

With a sigh, Hinata turned around and headed towards the kitchen, feeling every stare and every beat her heart drummed in her ears. Pushing the door open, she was followed by James and Jim. Riku stayed in the dining hall, making sure Saix and Xigbar didn't try anything.

The kitchen was empty as all the chefs were out in the dining room but the strong scent of burnt food wafted through the air. Hinata walked to the back of the kitchen towards a set of metal lockers. Opening one labeled with her name she found her gauntlets. As she put them on, James came up beside her while Jim began searching through the cupboards for something.

"You can't seriously be going with them." James whispered.

Hinata slammed the locker door shut. "What else would you have me do, James?" She asked, her voice rising. Taking a deep breath, she told him calmly. "I already put Sam in danger, I can't risk anyone else."

"What are they going to do to you?" He asked, and when Hinata just looked away from him, he gently grabbed her chin and turned her face towards him. "Hinata…"

"I don't know, James." She admitted, removing his hand from her face. "Last time I saw Braig he tried to kill me. Things will be different this time though."

"Will they though?" He asked her.

Hinata nodded, "Yes, I'll make sure of it." She looked up at him and placed her hand along his arm. "I'm going to bring Sam back safely I promise."

"I know you will." He told her. "I'm just worried about you."

"Hinata," Jim spoke up, rushing over to her.

Hinata pulled away from James and turned towards Jim as he held out a plasma pistol.

"My mom always keeps one in the kitchen for emergencies." He told her before asking. "Do you remember how to use it?"

"Yeah," Hinata nodded, taking the pistol and concealing it underneath her vest. "Amelia has been giving me some shooting lessons."

"I know you have your blades, but you might need something long-range at some point." Jim explained, worry plain on his face. "Make sure Sam is safe."

"I will, I promise." Hinata assured him.

"Hey Princess!" Xigbar called from the dining room, "Any day now would be nice!"

"I'll be right there!" She yelled back. She was about to leave the kitchen, when James grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

"Hinata," He started, looking over her face. He opened his mouth to say something but kept closing it again. With a sigh, he finally spoke up. "Just… be careful alright?"

Hinata nodded, "I will…" With that she turned around and headed out of the kitchen. She pushed open the door to the dining room and walked up beside Riku. "I'm ready," She told them.

"Perfect." Xigbar smirked as he held out his free hand and summoned a large dark portal. "We'll be leaving then."

Gasps and murmurs once again waved through the crowd as the portal appeared. Hinata took the moment of chatter and grabbed Riku's hand, while whispering, "I don't know for sure if you are Riku or not, but our first priority is to make sure Sam is safe. Then we can take those guys out, alright?" She looked up at him and he squeezed her hand in response. She smiled at him and released his hand as she walked forward to enter the portal.

Sam stared at the portal wide-eyed, but once she saw Hinata walk into it she took a deep breath and followed. Xigbar had his hand wrapped tight around her arm as she glanced behind her to see Jim and James by the kitchen. They both had worried looks on their faces but the moment Sam stepped through the portal they disappeared. Sam looked at her new surroundings as she found herself in what seemed like a completely different world. Everything around her was pitch-black with a gray smoke wall, creating a round hall with a bright light at the end.

"Where are we?" She asked aloud, her heart racing.

"A Corridor of Darkness, it's a way some people in my galaxy travel quickly from one world to the next." Hinata told her, grabbing her hand as she came up beside her. "Don't worry; everything is going to be fine."

Riku walked a little behind Hinata, remaining silent; while Saix walked behind the entire group to keep an eye on everyone. Hinata squeezed Sam's hand before releasing it and then slowed her pace until she was beside Saix.

"What happened to Lea?" She asked him quietly once she was at his side.

Without looking at her, Saix replied, "Axel is the Ninth Member of the Organization."

"What happened to you guys?" She asked. "Why are all of your names different?"

Saix quickly glanced at Hinata before answering. "After you foolishly gave away our position in the lab all those years ago, Master Xemnas tracked us down and initiated our status in the Organization."

"What does that mean?" Hinata asked, her stomach churning. "When he tried to force me into the group he tried to stab me with that weird weapon… Is that what he did to you guys?" When Saix nodded in response, Hinata whispered, "Isa… I'm sorry."

"Saix," He corrected her. "Isa no longer exists. When you join the Organization your physical body is destroyed and replaced with a new improved form."

"Improved?" Hinata repeated. "You threatened to kill an Inn full of innocent people. You call that improved?"

"They were lesser creatures fulfilling their meaningless ambitions." He responded. "Their deaths wouldn't have meant anything other than creating more Heartless for our precious Kingdom Hearts."

Hinata looked at him in near disbelief. "You aren't anything like I remember… I can't imagine what Lea, or Axel, is like."

Saix glanced at Hinata and noticed her depressed state. With a sigh, he told her. "If you were to reconsider joining the Organization, we could rekindle the bond you, me, and Lea once had. It could potentially be just like old times again."

Hinata glanced up at him to see a small smile on his face. She almost smiled back but looking into his eyes she didn't sense the same warmth. His eyes were the same emotionless cold as before.

Shaking her head, she looked away and told him. "No. I don't know what it is, but something about you isn't right…" Without waiting for him to answer, she quickened her pace and walked up beside Riku.

Sam glanced behind her at Hinata, fear plain in her widened eyes; but seeing the calm serious look in Hinata's, she felt a spurt of confidence go through her. Turning back around, she asked Xigbar, "Where are you taking us?"

"Don't you worry, little missy." He told her, "You just be a good girl and no one will get hurt."

"But where are you taking us?" Hinata spoke up, repeating Sam's question. "What world exactly?"

"The Organization Homeworld." Saix told them. "But the distance between the galaxy you resided in and our world is too great for just one trip in the Corridors. As a result we have to take a small detour on a remote world."

Hinata glanced over at Riku and he nodded shortly to her. She looked ahead of them to see that they were approaching the light and as she entered it, she shielded her eyes. A warm breeze brushed past her before she opened her eyes again, to find that they were on a completely different world. The sky was shrouded in a cloudy overcast and the ground beneath them was black and coarse. Far in the distance were tall mountains with greenery speckled at the top and the sound of ocean waves could be faintly heard over the call of seagulls.

Hinata spun in place, examining their surroundings as the hot wind brushed through her hair. Riku was right beside her while Xigbar and Saix were several feet away from them with Sam still in their custody. Trying to talk quietly despite the high winds, Hinata talked to Riku. "I have a feeling that we shouldn't let them take Sam to their home world. I have an idea, but you have to trust me." She looked up at him and when he nodded in response she half-smiled. "Here goes nothing…" Walking forward, Hinata reached behind her and pulled out her plasma pistol. Flicking a switch along the back she listened to the mechanical whir of it charging up. When it was fully charged she stopped walking and aimed the gun right at Xigbar, before yelling. "Alright, you've had your fun! Let Sam go!"

Xigbar and Saix turned and looked at Hinata; both of them smirking when they saw the gun in Hinata's hand. "As if, Princess!" Xigbar sneered, "I bet you don't even know how to fire that thing!"

Aiming towards the ground, Hinata let out a single burst. Mere inches from Xigbar's feet the yellow laser shot exploded into the ground, causing the black ground to glow a bright hot orange. Sam let out a startled scream as Xigbar scuffled back in surprise.

"I'll say it again!" Hinata yelled, pointing the gun back towards them. "Let Sam go!"

"You don't think we came with our own toys?" Saix called back, summoning his Claymore while Xigbar summoned a large arrow gun.

"But don't you think it would be more fun to have a fair fight?" Hinata asked with a smirk. "Come on Isa, we haven't had a good spar in years! Would you really like to waste your effort on a girl that can't even defend herself?"

Riku came up beside Hinata and summoned Soul Eater, getting a surprised glance from Hinata as she immediately recognized the weapon. Shaking her head, she went back to the situation in front of her.

"So what will it be?" She asked. "A good fight or a meaningless killing?"

"I don't like this idea, Hinata!" Sam yelled, nearly trembling.

Xigbar glanced at Saix and he nodded his head with a smirk. "Alright Princess, you've got yourself a deal!" Xigbar called back, tossing Sam aside.

Sam fell to the rocky ground in a surprised heap, but quickly got to her feet and stared wide-eyed at Hinata.

"Get out of here, Sam!" Hinata ordered her, "Run behind me and Riku; we'll take care of this!"

Sam nodded and took a shaking breath as she ran without looking behind her. As she passed them, Riku finally spoke up. "How did you know it was me?"

Hinata placed the gun back behind her and activated her gauntlet daggers. "Just a feeling I had. I'll tell you more about it after this fight." She glanced over at him with a sincere smile, "You with me?"

He pulled back his hood, to reveal his face and smirked back, "Always."

Their moment was short lived as Xigbar lifted his arrow gun and shot a string of red arrows towards then. Riku held out his hand and yelled, "Dark Shield!" And the sharp darts hit a shimmering wall that appeared inches from their faces. As the shield dissipated, Saix wrapped both his hands around his oversized Claymore and rushed towards Hinata with a grin plain on his crazed face. Hinata wasted no time and also ran towards Saix, with her bright blue laser daggers at her side. As he raised his weapon above his head to bring it down on top of Hinata, she rolled out of the way and sliced at his legs; but he jumped over her swing. Getting back to their feet, they eyed each other for a moment right before attacking again.

Riku ran towards Xigbar, using Soul Eater and Dark Shield to block most of his arrow shots. Every time he would get close to him, he would swing his sword to slice him, but Xigbar kept teleporting to different areas. Getting fed up, Riku waited for Xigbar to teleport once more, and then he summoned Dark Aura, sending a stream of blue flaming orbs right into his opponent's chest. Xigbar fell to the coarse ground and clenched at his chest as the flames fizzed out. Riku took the moment to rush him and sliced Soul Eater against his back. With a growl, Xigbar vanished and appeared several feet away with a scowl on his face as he was already readying his guns for another round.

Saix swung his Claymore along its side, attempting to hit Hinata's legs. She jumped back and waited for the weapon to pass in front of her. As it did, she lifted her laser daggers and dug them into the metal; causing it to immediately heat up and melt upon impact. With ease, she sliced off the top of Saix's Claymore and smirked as it fell to her feet.

"Looks like you might need a new weapon." Hinata told him with a shrug.

In response, Saix jumped several feet back in a single jump and grinned. "Oh I think I'll be just fine." He told her, lifting his weapon with inhuman strength and immediately throwing it at Hinata as if he were tossing a toy Frisbee.

Hinata gasped in surprise as the weapon plummeted towards her and somersaulted out of the way, just as it swung over her. She looked over her shoulder as it landed harshly on the ground, creating a large cloud of dust. She considered grabbing it for herself; but before she could move for it, it began to glow and disappeared in a flash or light. Hinata looked back at Saix to see a brand new Claymore in his hands. With a sigh, she pushed herself to stand back up and whispered sarcastically, "Well that's fair." Making her daggers disappear, she noted, "Two can play at that game."

Reaching behind her, Hinata pulled out her plasma pistol and charged it up. Before Saix could react, she lifted the gun and fired at the hilt of the Claymore. Shards of sharp metal exploded upon impact, causing Saix to drop the weapon. Before he could fully figure out what had just happened, Hinata put away her gun and ran straight for him. She slid to the ground as she reached him and quickly swept her leg under him, causing him to lose his footing. He fell to the coarse ground and immediately tried to scramble to his feet, but stopped the moment he felt a gun pressed to his head. He looked up to see Hinata pressing the barrel of her pistol against his forehead; both of them breathing heavily as they stared into each other's eyes.

"So this is how it ends?" Saix asked, with a smirk appearing on his face. "You shoot your old friend point blank? Maybe you're more fit for the Organization than you think."

"Shut up." Hinata told him, trying to catch her breath. "I'm nothing like the Organization."

"You say those words, yet you hold the power to end my life in your very hands." Saix replied, almost urging her to take the shot.

"I need to stop you." Hinata told him, tears welling up in her eyes. "I can't just let you go."

"Then why don't you?" He asked; a smile on his face. "You could end this right now. All you need to do is pull the trigger."

Hinata's hand began to tremble and she grabbed the gun with both of her hands in an attempt to steady her grip. After staring at Saix for several seconds she admitted, "… I can't."

"Because you're weak," He told her, standing up and causing Hinata to take a couple steps back.

"No!" Hinata defended, reluctantly putting down the gun. "Because you're one of my best friends," When Saix gave her a surprised look, she explained. "I won't ever kill you Isa… I can't." Wiping away her tears she looked up at him with a scowl, "I'll always be there to stop you, but I am never going to kill you. I'm going to find a way to make this right. I'll find a way to end the Organization and maybe then you and Lea can go back to the way you used to be."

Saix laughed mockingly and reached out his hand, summoning a new Claymore. "You think you speak loyalty, but the only thing I hear is ignorance!" He yelled at her. "You may not have the will to kill me, but I assure you that I do not share the same sentiment!"

"Why are you doing this, Isa?" Hinata asked him, resting her gun at her side. "This isn't you!"

"I'm Saix!" He yelled, "I don't know why this is taking your thick mind so long to comprehend! Isa is gone!"

"No he's not!" Hinata replied, putting her gun away. "I refuse to believe that!"

The sound of something scurrying towards them caught their attention. They turned their heads to see a long red creature on four short legs heading straight towards them. Maroon spouts lined its long back and its light orange underbelly was close to the ground. It glared at them with two shiny black eyes as Hinata and Saix took a couple steps back to see what it was.

Hinata activated her blades and asked, "Is that a Heartless?"

The creature stopped when it heard Hinata's voice and turned its head towards Saix. With a growl, the corners of its mouth began to glow a bright orange and the ends of the dark spouts on its back began dripping a hot substance.

"Hinata get away from that thing!" Riku yelled, breaking away temporarily from his fight against Xigbar.

The moment Riku yelled, the creature opened its mouth and shot out a sudden blast of molten lava towards Hinata and Saix. Both of them rolled out of the way in separate directions, barely missing the lava as it blasted into the ground between them. Hinata scrambled to her feet as the creature turned towards Saix to continue its attack. She looked at the small pool of magma it had just created and watched as the black ground beneath it began to melt.

"What type of Heartless shoots lava?" She yelled, turning towards Riku to see that they were dealing with their own monster.

A tall and lanky teal creature stood several feet away from Riku and Xigbar. Its head was like a squid, with long straggly tentacles waving around it, shooting bullet-speed water bursts at them. Its head was perched on top of a slug-like body, sliding easily over the bristly ground.

Hinata stood in the middle of everything, completely ignored by both of the creatures. They treated her as if she were invisible, but relentlessly attacked the others. Deactivating her blades, she asked, "What world are we on?"

Hinata looked out towards the large mountains in the distance and made out what looked to be a hovering car flying straight towards them. The machine was a brilliant red with a white stripe going right through the center. Bright headlights shined in the front as it barreled towards them. In the driver's seat of the car sat a large creature with a couple smaller critters scurrying around the car.

"What?" Hinata whispered in confusion, crossing her arms.

As the car came closer, it swerved to a stop and the larger alien inside started yelling.

"You thought you could come to this world without me knowing it, huh!" He yelled, readjusting his blue shorts that were too tight for his sausage-like legs as he climbed out of the car. He glared at them with his four eyes and exclaimed, "No one messes with Jumba and gets away with it!"

"Jumba?" Hinata repeated, looking the man over. He was a rather round alien with tan skin along his face and belly but the rest of him was a dark purple. He wore a yellow shirt with a bright red floral pattern that was so tight the buttons were barely staying closed.

Behind Jumba, two more creatures climbed out of the red hover-car he had driven there. One of them was a gray-blue color with a small body but a long oversized head with five straggly tentacles coming off the sides of it. The creature walked towards Hinata and outstretched one of its tentacles, touching the tip of it on her hand. Hinata tried her best to stay as still as she could, unsure what the creature would do to her, but flinched as a small current of electricity spiked through her.

After a few moments, the critter removed its tentacle and wiped its hands as it called back to the large man in a nasal voice, "Jumba, this girl is not with them."

"Ah, well don't attack her then." Jumba crossed his arms. "Kill the others."

"Now wait just a second!" Hinata cut in, rubbing the hand the tentacle had touched.

"Oh, and the young man in the black coat is with her." The creature interrupted.

Jumba looked at the three men in black coats and asked, "Which one? They're all wearing the coats."

"Riku," Hinata answered. "The one with the black sash over his eyes and the light-blue hair. Now do you mind telling me what's going on? And how do you know I'm not with those guys?"

Jumba put up one of his thick fingers at Hinata, as if to tell her to be quiet as he ordered the others. "Alright, you heard the little lady. Ignore that Riku guy, but get the other ones."

The creatures in front of him saluted quickly before heading off to attack Xigbar and Saix, who were struggling enough as it was.

As they ran off, Jumba complained under his breath, "Those no-good black-coats thinking they can just waltz in here and steal my prized experiments…" Clenching his fist and shaking it in the air he exclaimed. "Well not this time!"

Hinata gave Jumba a confused look and looked over at Saix as the lava creature continued shooting spouts of magma at him. A new orange creature joined in on the fight. It stood on two stout feet and had a mouth that went all the way to the ground. Every time Saix would take a swing at it, it would open its mouth and chomp down on the Claymore, taking a large bite out of it.

"Good bite, 586!" Jumba cheered him on, he looked over at Hinata and giddily explained, "That is Experiment 586, specializes in eating metal!"

"Eating metal?" Hinata repeated, watching as Saix had to continually summon new Claymores due to the bites 586 was taking out of them. "What about the others?"

Jumba's eyes widened with excitement that someone was interested in his experiments. Motioning towards the teal creature spewing water at Xigbar and still occasionally Riku, he explained. "That is Experiment 501, or Yin, specializes in water blasts. Then Experiment 120, Snafu, specializes in foiling enemy plans."

"How do you specialize in foiling enemy plans?" Hinata asked, watching as Riku bolted out of the way of a water blast.

Riku straightened from the dodge and took a moment to reassess the fight in front of him. Noticing that the creatures were no longer interested in him, but in Xigbar, he dissipated Soul Eater and allowed himself a breather.

Xigbar was quickly getting fed up with the new attackers and made himself teleport towards Saix. "Saix, let's get out of here!" He yelled once they were next to each other.

"We were instructed not to leave without Hinata!" Saix objected, jumping back and hurling his Claymore towards the Experiments attacking them.

"Hey Jumba," Xigbar called, teleporting to be in front of the alien. "We aren't here for your petty experiments, so how about you just take your kids and scurry on home?"

Jumba scowled, "I don't care why you're here! You aren't allowed on Hawaii or any other planet in this quadrant! You have already taken 626 away from me, I won't allow anymore!"

Xigbar rolled his one good eye and looked over at Hinata with a smirk. "Come on Princess, you already promised to come back with us. Why don't we just get going?"

Hinata crossed her arms. "You know, I don't see Sam anywhere so I think I can safely tell you no this time. I'm not going anywhere with you guys. And if you won't leave, I'm sure Jumba wouldn't mind calling his other experiments here." Seeing Riku come up beside her, she added with a smirk, "But it shouldn't have to come to that now should it?"

Placing his hands on his hips, Xigbar chuckled under his breath and sighed. "You really shouldn't have betrayed us." Looking over at Saix and catching his attention, he nodded his head and waited for Saix to nod in return. Smirking back at Hinata, he waved his hand and told her, "You be a good girl now! Until next time!" As soon as the words left his mouth, a dark mist covered his entire body and he immediately disappeared.

Once he was gone, Saix jumped back from his fight and looked up at Hinata, until their eyes met. With an unsettling smile, Saix motioned his head downwards to her before disappearing the same way Xigbar had.

Jumba laughed once both of them were gone and called to the others. "Aha! See, I told you they were no match for my Experiments!"

"How did you know they were here?" Riku asked; smiling as Hinata interlaced her fingers with his.

Crossing his large arms, Jumba proudly explained, "After our last encounter I contacted the United Galactic Federation and they gave me a device that allows me to monitor off-world activity."

"Wow," Hinata replied, "So you can tell when the Organization lands here?"

Jumba nodded triumphantly. "Yes! And as long as I'm here they are not allowed on this world or anywhere near it!"

Hinata smiled and looked up at Riku, who smiled back at her. Tightening her hand around Riku, she told Jumba, "Well, I'm glad you showed up. I don't know how we would have done without you." Then her eyes widened as she remembered, "Can you track other off-world visitors? My friend ran off when we first arrived and I'm not sure where she could be."

Jumba smiled, "For taking on those black-coats with me, anything!" Turning around he whistled and his Experiments instantly scurried back to the red car. "I'll be back in a bit. I need to get to my lab to track your friend." He looked at them for a moment and asked, "You are welcomed to come along."

"No," Riku answered, rubbing his thumb along Hinata's hand, "I think we'll stay here."

"Just to make sure the Organization doesn't come back." Hinata added, her cheeks blushing.

Jumba shrugged as he started up his car, "Suit yourself." With that he was instantly driving away in the distance leaving Hinata and Riku alone.

They watched as Jumba drove away, unsure of what to do next. Standing next to each other, they held hands in silence for several minutes.

After a while, Hinata finally spoke up. "I… don't know what to say." She laughed quietly under her breath.

Riku chuckled in response and admitted, "Me either."

Hinata turned towards Riku and grabbed his other hand, causing him to turn to her. She examined his face, the same familiar features she remembered, but also matured from the past several months they were apart. His hair had grown much longer, falling past his shoulders. She cocked her head to the side when she looked at the black sash covering his eyes and letting go of one of Riku's hands, she slowly reached up and ran her fingers along the side of it.

"Why…" She started to ask, her voice barely over a whisper.

"It… keeps the darkness inside me." He told her, ashamed. "Without it, I'll be overwhelmed by it."

Hinata frowned in response as she moved her hand from the sash, to his cheek. Taking a deep breath, she asked. "Is Xehanort gone?" When Riku didn't respond, she clarified. "I mean… he isn't inside of you anymore? Do I need to worry about him trying to…"

Riku shook his head and reached up to grab Hinata's hand that was resting on his face. "No, he won't ever hurt you again. I promise." He squeezed Hinata's hands and kept his gaze down cast as he stammered. "Hinata… I'm so sorry." He looked up at her, "I didn't intend all of that to happen." He turned his head to gaze at the volcanic ground surrounding them. "I gave into the darkness and did all of those awful things to you… and to others." Letting go of Hinata's hands he finished. "I don't deserve your forgiveness and I'm not asking for it. I just want you to know that I'm sorry and… that I would understand if you went and found someone else."

"Riku…" Hinata stepped forward and re-grabbed Riku's hands. She stared at their grasped hands for a moment as she took a shaking breath. Looking back up at him, she admitted. "I love you."

Riku shot his head up to Hinata when he heard the words come out of her mouth. They stared at each other in silence, until Riku shook his head and let go of Hinata's hands. "How can you say that?" He asked her, taking a couple steps back, "After everything I did and put you through… How can you just turn around and say that?"

"Because it's true," Hinata told him, taking a step towards him.

"You deserve someone better, Hinata." He told her, forcing himself to look away.

"I don't want someone else!" She cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "Riku, there wasn't a day that went by while we were apart that I didn't think about you. I know that you messed up, but I can already tell that you are striving to change. And even more than that; the thing about love, Riku, is that I forgive you. I forgive everything you've done in the past and I already forgive you for everything that is yet to come." She walked forward and reluctantly placed her hand on his cheek to turn his face towards her. Taking her hand away once he was looking at her, she told him. "I don't want to go another day without you in my life. I tried moving on without you… and I just couldn't do it. I want to be there to support you in everything you're striving for and I want to experience everything by your side. You shouldn't have to go through this alone."

They stood in silence as Riku examined Hinata while she waited in anticipation for his response. Her golden eyes were filled with hope but also fear as she lightly bit her lip with worry. Taking a deep breath, he quietly asked, "Do you really mean that?"

Hinata nodded, trying to keep tears from falling down her cheeks. "More than anything."

Riku looked down at his black gloved hands and slowly took off his gloves while Hinata watched him in silence, wondering what he was doing. Once they were off he put them into his coat pocket and took a couple steps forward until he was right in front of Hinata. Then lifting one of his hands, he slid it behind Hinata's neck and laced his fingers into her short hair. Placing his other hand along her waist, he leaned his head down and pressed his lips against hers. Melting in his arms, Hinata leaned into his kiss and placed her hands against his chest; eventually sliding them behind his back and pulling him closer.

Before things got too passionate, Riku reluctantly broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against Hinata's. Catching his breath, he whispered, "I love you too."

A smile beamed on Hinata's face before she finally broke down and began to cry. She moved one of her hands from Riku's back to her face, trying to wipe away her tears. After a moment she began to laugh amidst her crying and admitted, "I can't stop crying… I'm so happy."

Riku laughed in response and kissed the top of Hinata's head. Moving one of his hands to her cheek, he lifted her face to look at him and said, "Then don't try to stop. Just kiss me instead." He immediately took her lips into his own, letting it swiftly become passionate as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. They soon became so lost in each other they didn't notice that Jumba returned in his car with Sam inside the passenger seat.

As Jumba stopped the car several feet away he called out to them. "Hey! I happened to find your friend on the way back to my lab! I didn't even have to use the tracker!" When Riku and Hinata didn't stop what they were doing, he turned to Sam and pointed towards the couple. "What are they doing?"

Sam blushed as she glanced over Jumba's shoulder to see Hinata kissing what seemed to be a complete stranger. Clearing her throat, she climbed out of the car and explained. "Ah… it's a human thing. I'll break it up. Thank you for getting me back to them."

Jumba shrugged and replied, "It was nothing! You looked so out of place when I found you, it wasn't hard to figure out you were their friend."

With a scoff, Sam crossed her arms. "Uh, yeah, well still thanks."

Jumba laughed and waved one last time at Sam before turning the car back on and driving away. Sam watched the car disappear in the distance before turning around to see Hinata and Riku still kissing. She uncomfortably rubbed the back of her neck as she approached the couple, unsure of exactly what to say.

Once she was close enough for them to easily hear her, she spoke up, "So, uh, I'm going to assume this is Riku then?"

Hinata widened her eyes and immediately broke the kiss with Riku, her cheeks deeply flushed. She looked over at Sam and cleared her throat while she quickly pushed some of her hair behind her ear, stammering, "Oh, um, yeah." Taking a couple steps back, she motioned forward, "Sam, this is Riku."

Riku's cheeks were also flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck and waved with his other hand as a greeting. Sam smirked as she crossed her arms and watched the flustered couple.

With a laugh, Sam walked forward and outstretched her hand to Riku. When Riku followed suit and took her hand she shook it, while telling him. "It's good to finally meet you. Hinata's told me all about you."

"Really?" Riku asked, glancing over at Hinata as she looked away embarrassed. "Well… um, nice to meet you too." He told Sam, looking back at her with a small smile. "Thank you for taking care of Hinata."

Sam pulled back her hand and smiled. "It was more her taking care of me than anything. Has she told you about the ship I built her?"

Riku looked over at Hinata as he answered, "Uh, no, she hasn't really gotten the chance."

Stifling a laugh, Sam teased, "Well if the way I found you two when I got here was any indication, I don't think there was much talking going on." Hinata and Riku's cheeks flushed again while Sam chuckled. "I'm just teasing; it makes sense you guys would be like that after being apart for so long. I'm just glad you're safe. Hinata was worried about you."

"Safe?" Riku repeated.

"I didn't know what Xehanort did to you after… well you know." Hinata told him, coming up beside him.

Riku grabbed Hinata's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"So… I wanted to thank you both for saving my life." Sam spoke up, changing the subject. She averted her eyes as she continued. "You were right Hinata, I shouldn't have interfered like I did and I only caused more trouble in the end."

Hinata stepped forward and pulled Sam into a short hug. "I'm just glad you're safe, to be honest." Pulling away, she told her. "And I actually really appreciated that you would risk yourself like that for me."

Sam smiled, "Well of course, you're one of my best friends."

"You're one of my best friends too." Hinata replied, looking behind her as Riku placed his hand on her shoulder.

"We should probably get Sam back to her home." Riku spoke up. "What is the planet called?"

"Montressor," Sam told him, rubbing her hands together in front of her. "How are we going to get back?"

Hinata motioned her head towards Riku. "Riku can make one of those Corridors of Darkness that Braig used to get us here."

Sam nodded and then asked, "How do you know those guys, Hinata?"

"I… grew up with them." Hinata admitted, getting a surprised look from Riku. Chuckling uncomfortably, she added, "I guess I have a lot of explaining to do, huh?"

Riku outstretched his hand and summoned a dark portal before reaching over to grab Hinata's hand. "We both have a lot to talk about." He told her, "But let's not rush it. We'll talk about everything later."

Hinata nodded and looked over at Sam. "You ready to go back home?"

"Definitely." Sam smiled, entering the portal.

Squeezing his hand, Hinata looked up at Riku with a smile plain on her face. He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on her lips, before telling her. "I'm glad you're back."

Hinata grinned and replied, "Me too."

With that they walked forward and entered the Corridor to head back to Montressor and to begin their new adventure together.


	10. Catching Up

Chapter 10

Hinata and Riku entered the portal behind Sam and immediately reappeared in the Corridor. The smoky haze floated around them as they began to walk towards Montressor. Sam was a few steps ahead of them; she was back to her cheery self, knowing that she was once again safe.

Riku glanced over at Hinata and commented, "I like your hair."

Tugging at the short strands, Hinata blushed. "You do? I was worried you wouldn't."

Chuckling in response, Riku told her, "I think it suits you." He smiled before saying, "I'm surprised you cut it. I thought you really liked your long hair."

"Well, it wasn't exactly my choice," she admitted, "The gummi ship crashed and…"

Riku stopped walking, "It crashed? What happened?"

Hinata averted her eyes as she explained. "After you got me back to the gummi ship from Hollow Bastion, the ship began flying on its own and it entered this galaxy; except, right around when it did, apparently the border was reinstated. And when it went back up it did something to the gummi ship, making it crash."

"Sora…" Riku mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Hinata asked.

Riku looked at Hinata, "Sora, he travelled with Donald and Goofy and locked the borders of worlds the Heartless had gone to. He's probably the reason the border to this galaxy went back up."

Hinata shook her head, "I recognize Donald and Goofy, but I don't think I've ever heard of Sora."

With a sigh, Riku admitted, "He's our best friend."

"What are you talking about?" Hinata asked, crossing her arms. "How would I not remember our best friend?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, he told her. "It's a long story. Your memories of him have been locked away. And not just yours, everyone that ever interacted with him has no memory of him."

"Are you guys coming?" Sam called out to them; she was several feet ahead of them.

Riku sighed as he walked forward and grabbed Hinata's hand, "I'll try to explain it more later."

Hinata walked alongside him and nodded, "We sure have a lot to cover."

"I'm just thankful you survived the crash." Riku noted. "I can hardly believe that happened." He glanced over at Hinata, noticing that her eyes were downcast. Clearing his throat he changed the subject, "So you cut your hair after the crash?"

Hinata scoffed, "More like during it." When Riku looked at her she explained, "The door to the cockpit got jammed shut during the fall and my hair got caught inside of it; so I had to have Jack find me a something sharp and I cut it off."

"Jack?" He repeated, before remembering, "Actually, I think I remember him, is he some weird type of dog?"

"Yeah!" Hinata beamed, "He's my own little ghost dog." She chuckled, "I got him from Christmas Town." When Riku looked at her, she waved him off, "I'll explain more later."

"A pet ghost dog, huh?" He chuckled as they continued to walk after Sam. After a couple minutes he frowned and asked. "How would you have gotten free if Jack hadn't been there?"

Hinata looked ahead of them and reluctantly answered, "I don't think I would have. I tried finding a way out while he was looking for the piece of metal. But I couldn't reach anything useful."

Feeling sick to his stomach, Riku tightened his hand around Hinata's and mumbled. "So if it hadn't been for him…" His voice trailed off.

"But he was there, so we don't have to worry about it now." Hinata quickly responded, trying to lighten the mood. She looked over at Riku and noticed the apparent remorse on his face. "Don't blame yourself, Riku." She told him. "The ship would have crashed whether or not you were there with me."

"Maybe…" he muttered, looking up as they finally neared the end of the Corridor.

Sam stood by the light waiting for them to catch up; not hearing the conversation they just had. A bright smile was on her face and she asked. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" Hinata asked, smiling back.

"For everyone to meet Riku of course!" She beamed. "I can't wait to see their reactions!"

"Yeah, except James." Hinata sighed.

"That guy that you sat with back at the Inn?" Riku asked.

Hinata nodded and explained, "He's… well…"

"He's been trying to get Hinata to go out with him since they met." Sam cut in. "Although, he's backed off a bit ever since you decked him, Hinata."

"You punched him?" Riku asked surprised, a smile spreading on his face as he laughed. "I wish I could have seen that."

Hinata's cheeks flushed as she stammered, "Look, I'd rather not talk about it. He said stuff he shouldn't have and I overreacted."

"Gave him a black eye!" Sam exclaimed, almost bragging on Hinata's behalf. "Right in the middle of dancing with him!"

"Sam!" Hinata groaned, planting her face in her palms.

"Oh come on," Sam rolled her eyes with a laugh; "It's not that bad. He did deserve it after all. My brother can get a little ahead of himself sometimes."

Riku placed his hand on Hinata's shoulder reassuringly and told her, "I'll make sure he doesn't bother you."

Hinata looked up from her hands and sighed, "No, don't worry about it. Once he sees you, I'm pretty sure he'll back off. It's just… I don't want to hurt him."

"He'll be fine, Hinata." Sam assured her. "He might sulk for a while; but I know him. He just wants you to be happy."

"If you say so…" Hinata replied, taking a deep breath. "Alright, let's get this over with then."

"Together then!" Sam beamed, walking into the light with Riku and Hinata close behind.

They appeared right in front of the Benbo Inn on the wooden deck outside. The sky was a dark orange as the sun was beginning to set and everything around them was quiet. Light from inside the Inn shined through the windows. Inside the glass opening, they could see Doppler beside Amelia and their four children. They attempted to comfort Sarah as she sat in front of a table with her face planted in her palms. Jim sat at the same booth he had been sitting at with Sam earlier that day and stared out the window; his eyes widening when he saw Riku, Hinata, and Sam appear out of the portal. Jumping out of his seat, he alerted the others to what he just saw and immediately ran for the door.

"Sam!" he exclaimed as he pulled open the door and rushed outside. Sam grinned and broke into a run towards Jim, embracing him when she reached him.

"Hinata, oh thank goodness you're safe!" Doppler called out, hastening out of the Inn with Amelia and his children in tow. "I was just on my way to tell you the border was down when I heard what happened."

With a smile, Hinata told him, "Yeah, things escalated pretty quickly. I'm still not completely sure what happened."

"I am so sorry I allowed that to happen." Sarah walked up and pulled Hinata into a hug. "We all just sat there frozen in fear while you stepped up for our sake."

Hinata kept one of her hands clasped with Riku as she wrapped her other arm around Sarah and replied. "Don't worry about it, Sarah. They were here for me; you guys shouldn't have been pulled into it."

"And who is this young man?" Amelia asked, glancing down at their clasped hands.

Pulling away from Sarah's hug, Hinata cleared her throat and explained, "Oh, well this is Riku."

Their eyes widened when she said his name and Doppler stepped forward. "That's remarkable." He smiled and looked over at Hinata, "The very day the border goes down, and the man you've been speaking of appears? Why it's nearly implausible!" He looked back at Riku, "Did you by chance have anything to do with bringing down the border?"

Riku shook his head, "No, it was these creatures called Heartless."

Hinata looked up at him, "Heartless are here? I haven't seen any."

"Enough about the border," Jim interrupted, pushing through the crowd with Sam in tow. "What happened?"

"What?" Hinata asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, how did you get away from those guys?" He clarified.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Hinata started, "It's… a little hard to explain."

"Well tell us about it inside." Sarah offered, "I'm sure you must be starving! I'll whip you up something."

Hinata nodded in response, "I would love that."

Sam looked around and asked, "Do you know where my brother is?"

Jim nodded, "Yeah, he said he had to go check on his mom. He said he would be back though."

"Oh… alright." Sam replied, "Maybe I should go see him."

"Don't worry," Sarah assured her, leading the way back to the Inn. "He said he would be back and I'm sure he will be just as hungry." She looked back at Sam and told her. "He refused to eat anything after what happened."

Sam glanced over at Hinata and asked. "What do you think?"

Hinata looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I could go see him now and you know… warn him." She replied.

"At least get something to eat first." Jim cut in. "Then you can go find him."

Sam smiled at Jim, "Well, I am hungry. I suppose a quick snack couldn't hurt."

Hinata tightened her hand around Riku's and smiled up at him as the group went ahead of them into the Inn. Whispering, she asked him, "You don't mind spending a little time here, do you? You probably have things you need to do."

Riku ran his thumb along her hand as he assured her, "Nothing that can't wait."

"I haven't gotten the chance to ask, but why are you here?" She asked him, "I mean I'm happy you are, but why?"

"Later," He told her, before clarifying, "I'll explain everything later, but right now I want to see the life you've built while we were apart. Those people really seem to care about you."

Hinata smiled in response as they approached the Inn and went inside. She led Riku to a booth and sat across from Sam and Jim; while the others sat at a nearby table. Sarah cooked away in the kitchen as everyone instantly bombarded Riku and Hinata with questions, quickly overwhelming them. Hinata quieted them down and did her best to explain what had happened.

"You should have seen Hinata!" Sam bragged, "She just pulled out the plasma pistol on those guys and ordered them to let me go. It was totally badass!"

Hinata chuckled, "Oh please, honestly it was a really dumb move on my part… It was the only thing I could come up with."

"But it ended up working in the end." Doppler pointed out.

"Indeed," Amelia agreed, "I say it was a gut intuition that led to victory. I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same in that situation."

"Well thanks," Hinata replied, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I'm just glad we all got back here safely."

"Those 'experiments' you mentioned," Jim spoke up, "What were they? Did that Jumba guy make them?"

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, apparently. I don't have the slightest idea how though. We didn't really get a chance to talk with him much."

The conversation was cut short as Sarah entered the dining room from the kitchen with plates of hot food topped on a large tray balanced on her hand. She placed the platters on the table as she commented, "I don't mean to pry Hinata, but when those men were here, you seemed like you knew them."

Hinata poked at the plate of pasta in front of her and sighed, "Yeah… it's a long complicated story. Basically, I grew up with them and Isa was one of my best friends. We… grew apart and a lot of things changed."

"I'll say." Jim agreed, taking a bite of Sam's food before she swatted him away.

"They shouldn't be back here though." Hinata assured them. "They were after me and I won't be staying here for much longer."

The group fell quiet as the words left Hinata's mouth.

"When do you plan on leaving?" Doppler spoke up, breaking the silence.

Hinata glanced at Riku, who had been silent the whole conversation, before admitting. "I'm not completely sure. Riku and I haven't really gotten a chance to talk about it; but I would imagine within the next few days. If the Heartless and the Organization are out there, we don't really have a lot of time to wait around."

Her words were once again met with silence as she noticed their eyes sadden. She opened her mouth to say more but then Riku placed his hand over hers and he spoke up. "The sooner we are able to leave the better, but I know that Hinata has built a life here. So I want to make sure she is able to do what she needs before we go." He gave a small smile to Hinata when she turned to look at him.

Doppler sighed but had a smile on his face, "Well, we all knew this day might come. I suppose the timing of it was just unexpected."

Riku noticed Hinata's sudden sullen expression and quickly changed the subject, "I've been wanting to ask; how did all of you meet Hinata?"

The group smiled and one by one began telling Riku stories about Hinata. Sharing fun memories and things they did together. Riku sat back in his seat, enjoying hearing about what Hinata had done while they were apart; but was shocked when Doppler and Jim began telling him about finding her on Treasure Planet.

"How long were you stranded?" He asked Hinata, when he got a chance to talk.

Hinata uncomfortably prodded her fork into her food as she admitted, "About a month… I think. The days sort of ran together."

"Ben would know the exact timeline." Jim spoke up.

"Where is Ben?" Hinata asked, "And Jack?"

"Jack was with me when I was coming to tell you about the border," Doppler began to explain. "And we met Ben here at the Inn when we learned what happened. The two of them were beside themselves in all honesty."

"They couldn't stay still." Amelia remembered. "So eventually Sarah gave them a list of errands to run for her so they could make use of their energy."

"Ben?" Riku asked for clarification.

"He's a robot," Hinata told him, "Jack and I found him shortly after we crashed and he let us stay with him." She looked over at Sarah, who was finally sitting down after all the cooking. "Will they be back soon, you think?"

Sarah nodded, "They shouldn't be gone for too much longer."

Sam took the last bite of her food and quickly cleaned her hands with a napkin. "Thank you for the food, Sarah." She spoke up, getting up from the booth. "I really should be going to find James before he gets back."

"Will you bring him back here?" Hinata asked.

"If that's alright." Sam looked at Hinata. "Even though Riku's here, I know he'll still want to see you."

Hinata strained a smile and replied. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I want to see him too."

"Alright, then I'll be back." Sam smiled. She headed towards the exit of the Inn and shivered when the cold night air brushed past her skin as she opened the door. The full moon was just beginning to rise, giving a soft hue of light to the darkened night and lit Sam's way as she walked back to her shop.

Without trouble she reached her shop and walked inside the darkened lobby. Flipping a switch, a light flickered on. She looked around the dusty room before calling, "Hello? Is anyone home?"

"Sam!?" James called from the other room. He entered the lobby and immediately smiled when he saw his sister. Running towards her, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug and breathed a sigh of relief. "I am so glad you're safe." He pulled back and examined her face with a grin. "When did you get back?"

"A little over an hour ago." She admitted, feeling guilty as she noticed James's smile slightly falter. "I wanted to go to you right away, but then Sarah offered to make me some food… and well, I was really hungry and…"

"Sam," James interrupted with a laugh, "You don't have to explain yourself. I'm just glad you're home. And I'm glad you're fed too." When Sam laughed in response he asked, "Is Hinata back too?" Reluctantly, Sam nodded her head and James's eyes lit up. "She is?" With a sigh of relief he stood up straight and asked, "Where is she?"

"Back at the Inn," Sam told him.

Without waiting for her to finish, James left Sam's side and rushed out of the shop.

"No, wait, James!" Sam called after him, but he was already gone.

James ran as fast as his legs could carry him, eager to see Hinata again. His heart was racing in his chest as he exited the marketplace and headed down the path to the Inn. He slowed to a stop as he reached the wooden dock outside and caught his breath. Looking inside the front window, he saw Ben flailing his arms in the center of the dining room, obviously excited about something as Jack floated around with his tail wagging furiously. James chuckled under his breath and began walking towards the entrance until he suddenly caught sight of Hinata, making his heart momentarily stop. She stood in the center of the dining room with a large smile on her face, laughing at something Ben had said; which made James smile in response until he saw Riku standing beside her. He watched Riku reach over and wrap his arm around Hinata, pulling her close to his chest. She looked up at him as he pulled her in and leaned into him, giving him a quick kiss on his lips. All of the excitement James was feeling instantly vanished as he realized who the man was.

Slumping his shoulders, he turned around and mumbled under his breath. "Dammit." Digging his hands into his pockets he began walking away from the Inn, unsure of where he was headed. He stopped at the edge of the dock and stared up at the stars appearing in the sky. Several minutes passed in silence until he heard the door to the Inn open. He reluctantly glanced over his shoulder to see who was coming outside and widened his eyes when he saw Riku approaching. Turning his head back towards the stars, he spoke up. "You're probably the last person I want to talk to."

Riku smirked as he walked up beside James and looked up at the sky. "Yeah, well you aren't on the top of my list either."

"Then why are you out here?" James asked, hesitantly glancing over at Riku.

"Because she's worried about you." He admitted, crossing his arms. "She saw you sulking away and wanted to come out here herself, but I told her I would take care of it."

James glared over at him and asked, "And how exactly do you plan on doing that? If you're worried I'm going to take her from you…"

"I'm not." Riku interrupted.

"Yeah? Well maybe you should be." James bit, causing Riku to look over at him. "We were doing just fine before you came along."

Riku scoffed, "Yeah, I've heard you've even got the bruise to prove it."

James scowled and turned to face Riku, yelling. "What do you know? While you were gone I did everything I could to make her happy!"

"Except leave her alone." Riku interrupted again, remaining calm. "She told me you knew about me from the beginning. Why couldn't you just leave it alone?"

James was about to object, when he sighed. "I didn't want to believe you existed…" Averting his eyes when Riku looked at him, he continued. "I had finally found someone that I really connected with. A girl I genuinely enjoyed being around; for her personality rather than just… well you know." He crossed his arms and turned away. "Every time she mentioned you I just tried to ignore it and hang onto that hope that maybe the border wouldn't actually go down. Then eventually she would have moved on and we could have gotten together."

"But then I came and ruined it all." Riku finished.

With a bitter laugh, James admitted, "Yeah, that about sums it up." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before resigning, "I have been running away from the truth and now that it's right in front of me, I feel like I've made a damn fool of myself."

Riku laughed under his breath, "Welcome to the club."

James glanced at Riku before looking up at the stars. "She knew it was you… back at the Inn." When Riku looked over at him, he explained. "This morning when you were trying to keep yourself hidden; Hinata knew it was you right away. She told me and I didn't want to believe her. I told her to forget about it and that it was too far-fetched…" He sighed. "But then… it really was."

"How did she know?" Riku asked.

James shrugged, "You'll have to ask her about the details. All she told me was you felt familiar every time you touched… whatever that means."

Riku looked back up at the stars with a small smile. "I felt it too." He admitted.

"What's so great about you, anyways?" James asked, frustration lacing back into his voice. "You were gone for months and Hinata never changed the way she felt… what makes you so special?

"Nothing," Riku admitted, causing James to look at him surprised. "Honestly I'm probably more screwed up than you; but for some reason Hinata loves me despite all that." He smiled to himself.

James remained silent after Riku finished speaking and looked back up at the sky. After a few minutes, Riku turned to walk back into the Inn, but stopped momentarily when James called out to him. "Hey, Riku…" He waited for Riku to glance back at him, before finishing. "Just… take care of her, alright?"

Riku looked at James for a moment, then turned back around and told him. "I will." Without waiting for a reply, he reentered the Inn, leaving James alone.

Hinata glanced at Riku as he entered the dining room and watched him as he made his way back to their booth. He sat down beside her as Jim was telling everyone a story from his time at the Interstellar Academy.

Leaning close, Hinata whispered, "Is everything alright?"

Riku nodded and replied, "It's fine; I'll tell you more about it later." When Hinata gave him a concerned look, he kissed her temple and told her. "Stop worrying."

Hinata's cheeks flushed as she smiled at him but glancing out the window she could James standing at the edge of the dock. "Do you think I should go out there?" She asked him quietly.

Shaking his head, Riku told her, "He needs time to cool off."

She was about to respond, when Jack came up to her and nuzzled her cheek making her giggle. Scratching him behind his ears, she turned her attention back to Jim's story.

By the end of his tale, the door to the Inn opened and Sam walked in. Hinata smiled at her friend and got up from her seat beside Riku. She glanced out the window to find that James was no longer there. With a sigh, she looked back to Sam and walked up to her.

Sam bit her lip when Hinata approached her and apologized, "Sorry about James. He ran off to the Inn before I got the chance to warn him. I hope it wasn't too bad, he didn't want to talk about it when I saw him again."

"Don't worry about it." She assured her, "Honestly, it didn't go as bad as I thought it would. He didn't come inside the Inn; Riku went out and talked to him."

"Really?" Sam asked in surprise before laughing. "Knowing James I'm surprised it didn't turn into a fist fight."

"That wouldn't have lasted long." Riku noted, walking up beside Hinata with a smirk.

"Hinata!" Ben exclaimed, jumping in on their conversation and startling the three teens. "I can't tell you how happy I am to finally meet your imaginary friend!"

"Ben!" Hinata groaned; frustration plain on her face. "I have told you countless times that Riku was never imaginary!"

"Wait… what?" Riku asked, crossing his arms.

"It's nothing," Hinata quickly told him. "He's crazy."

"What?" Ben exclaimed about to say more, but was interrupted as Hinata grabbed his metal arm and pulled him towards the kitchen.

Riku watched in confusion as Hinata dragged Ben away, before looking back at the group around him. Sam was beside Jim back in their booth as they talked about different types of solar surfers; while Sarah held one of Doppler's children and was tickling their stomach. Riku smiled to himself and glanced back at the kitchen as Hinata pushed the door open. He arched an eyebrow when he noticed her cheeks were flushed.

Walking over to her, he asked, "Is… everything alright?"

Hinata sighed, "Yeah, I just wish Ben wouldn't blurt things out like that."

"What did he mean, imaginary friend?" He asked.

"I… I'm embarrassed to explain honestly." She admitted, her cheeks darkening further.

"What, did you pretend I was on Treasure Planet with you?" He pried.

Shaking her head, Hinata chuckled, "No, nothing like that." She paused and bit her lip, not wanting to admit what happened; but with a sigh, she resigned. "Alright fine… when I got to Treasure Planet I wasn't exactly in the best shape and I wasn't able to find food; so I asked Ben to find me some. But the food he found was these berries that ended up giving me hallucinations about… well about you."

"Really?" He asked, "Why me?"

"Honestly, I don't know." She told him, avoiding his gaze. "But it happened a few times; most of them not by choice and I guess Ben just got the idea that I made you up."

"Most of them weren't your choice?" He pried.

"Look, can we just stop talking about it?" She pleaded. "I know it makes me seem like a total weirdo…"

"No, you aren't weird at all." Riku assured her, uncrossing his arms and grabbing one of Hinata's hands. He was about to continue but was interrupted by a faint chiming sound coming from his coat pocket. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a flat circular silver device.

Looking at the contraption, Hinata asked. "What is it?"

Riku looked down at the device and let go of Hinata's hand while he told her, "I'll be right back."

"Oh… alright." Hinata replied, watching as Riku exited the Inn.

Once he was outside, Riku went to the side of the building so he could answer the call unseen. Pressing the large blue button in the center, it instantly lit up and showed a hologram of the man Riku had spoken with earlier that day.

"DiZ," Riku started, not waiting for the man to greet him. "Some of the Organization Members showed up at the Inn."

"Their reaction to the border was much swifter than I anticipated." DiZ replied. "Is Hinata safe?"

Riku nodded, "Yeah, they tried to take her and one of her friends; but we found a way to stop them."

"I assume you have revealed your identity to her."

"Yea, she figured it out on her own actually."

"Did she now?" DiZ replied, the sense of a smirk in his voice. "That is surprising."

"How do you know who Hinata is?" Riku asked.

"I know a great deal of things." DiZ cryptically replied.

"So in other words, you won't tell me." Riku sighed.

"Where is she now?"

"She's still inside the Inn."

"It is of upmost importance we get her back to Twilight Town."

"I know," Riku told him, "But she's built a life here; I can't just make a Corridor and get us back. There are things she has to do before we can leave."

DiZ sighed in slight annoyance, but responded. "Very well. Take the time she needs to make preparations. But make haste; the Organization will no doubt reattempt to take her into custody."

"Alright," Riku agreed, before cutting the transmission. Placing the device back into his pocket, he looked up at the stars and felt the cool breeze brush past him.

"Is everything alright?" Hinata asked as she came around the side of the Inn and walked up to him.

Looking down from the sky, he smiled and wrapped his arms around Hinata's waist. "Yeah, everything's fine."

"What is that thing?" She asked, placing her hands on his arms.

"It's sort of like those black devices we used when we were working for Maleficent." He explained, laughing under his breath when Hinata made a face at the mention of their old 'employer'. Bringing one of his hands back from Hinata's waist, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver contraption; showing it to her while explaining. "Except this works a lot better and the person you're talking to shows up as a projection."

"So who were you talking to?" She pried, looking at the device.

"A guy called DiZ." He admitted, placing the contraption back into his pocket. "Don't worry, he's nothing like Maleficent and he wants to take the Organization down just as much as we do."

"Sounds like my kind of guy." Hinata commented, smiling at Riku. "Do you trust him?"

Riku shrugged, "More or less. What matters is that he's waking Sora back up. Without him, I don't think I could do it."

"There's that Sora again." Hinata pointed out. "Are you sure I know him?"

Riku nodded, "When you come to Twilight Town with me I'll show you to him. You might not remember right away, but the memories are there." Hinata laughed in response and Riku gave her a baffled look. "What is it?"

"It's just, the more we talk the more confused I get." Hinata admitted. "We were only apart for a few months but I feel like so much has happened."

"Does it bother you?"

"No, it's more that I know it's going to take a while for us to catch up. And we haven't really gotten the chance to sit down and talk."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Just this morning I found out that you and Kairi are sisters. I have so many questions about that."

"Yeah… about that," Hinata started.

"Hinata," Doppler called, cutting in on their conversation. "We're about to head back to the house, are you coming along?"

"Yes," Hinata called back, "I'll be right there!" Turning back to Riku, she asked, "Do you have a place to stay?"

"No," Riku admitted, "I'm sure Sarah wouldn't mind me renting a room though. It is an Inn after all."

"Or," Hinata's cheeks flushed, "I'm sure Doc wouldn't mind letting you stay with me. I mean, if you wanted to come over to their house."

Riku smirked, "I didn't want to invite myself over." He leaned down and gave Hinata a kiss. Pulling back, he chuckled, "I don't think I'll ever get used to this."

"Get used to what?" She asked; her voice quiet.

"Being able to kiss you again." He told her, grabbing her hand and leading them to the front of the Inn.

Coming up front, Doppler was loading his family into the carriage with Delilah excitedly waiting to pull them home. Ben stood outside the Inn with Jack floating around him and waltzed up to Hinata. Jack nuzzled Hinata's face before going up to Riku and licking his cheek. Riku laughed and waved Jack away before using the back of his hand to wipe away the slobber.

"So now that the border is down, are we going to sail the ship into the sunset?" Ben asked excitedly. "Oh, I just can't wait for that! That ship is just dying for a chance to spread her sails and test her engines!"

Hinata chuckled, "Yeah, I guess we finally get to use her. I still have to think of a name for her."

"I've been thinking about that, actually." Ben spoke up, putting his hands in the air as if he were showcasing something. "How about, SV Bentopia or the Benbo Ship? Or maybe…"

"How about a ship name that doesn't include the name Ben in it?" Hinata interrupted with a laugh.

Ben crossed his arms, "Well alright Miss Smarty-pants! What do you think we should name her?"

Hinata placed her hand to her chin and then glanced over at Riku. With a smile she offered, "How about The Highwind?"

Riku looked over at her with a smile. "You still remember that name?"

Smiling back, Hinata chimed, "Of course I do! It's the same name Sora used on his gummi ship!" Shaking her head, she corrected, "Or wait… I mean Donald and Goofy's ship, I think."

"I get those too." He told her. "Random memories of Sora. They seem to come in flashes."

"Why can't I fully remember him?" She asked.

"It's hard to explain." He admitted.

"What are you talking about?" Ben asked, cutting into their conversation.

"Memories," Hinata told him.

"Ah yea, memories!" Ben exclaimed. "It's so wonderful to have them back!"

Riku was about to ask what he meant, when Hinata explained, "When I met him on Treasure Planet, he had lost his primary memory circuit, but Jim found it later and he got his memories back."

"Hinata, are you about ready?" Amelia called as she placed her last child into the carriage.

"Yes!" She replied, walking over to the carriage. "Um, I was wondering if it would be alright if Riku stayed at the house."

Amelia smiled, "Why of course! I would have thought that had been assumed."

Hinata chuckled, "Yeah, we just wanted to double check."

Looking over at Riku, Amelia told him, "Well then, welcome to the family."

"Family?" Riku repeated, a small smile appearing on his face. "Um, thanks."

"Before we go, I want to say goodbye to Jim." Hinata mentioned, "He's heading back to the Academy tomorrow."

"Of course," Amelia smiled, "Just be sure to be quick, the children are beginning to fuss."

"I will." Hinata nodded and turned to head back to the Inn, bringing Riku along with her. She opened the entrance and entered the dining room. Jim was still sitting beside Sam in the booth as she walked towards him. "Hey Jim," She started, coming up to their table.

Jim smiled and got up from his seat. "So this is it," He told her, crossing his arms. "I'm going back to the Academy and you finally get to go back to your world."

Hinata chuckled, "Yeah, took long enough, but I'm finally getting home." She placed her hand on his arm. "Take care of yourself, alright? And thank you for everything; especially for making my blades. I love them."

Laughing in response, he told her, "I'm glad you like them. They seemed to come in handy today. If you ever need repairs or anything, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." She noted.

"Take care of her alright?" Jim told Riku, averting his gaze to him.

"I will." Riku smiled, tightening his hand around Hinata's.

Hinata waved at Jim, before addressing Sam, "I'll be by your shop tomorrow morning, is that alright?"

"Yeah," Sam smiled, "I'll make sure to keep the shop unlocked."

"Alright then," Hinata nodded before turning back to exit the Inn, "Goodbye!" She called behind her as she left the room.

Heading back to the carriage, she let go of Riku's hand before climbing inside. She was followed by Amelia, Riku, and Jack floating in, landing on her lap. Amelia sat across from them with her four kids beside her while Hinata huddled close to Riku, watching Montressor pass by as Doppler began to drive them back to the house. The exhaustion of the day began to dawn on Hinata as she leaned her head against Riku's shoulder and drifted to sleep. Riku smiled to himself when he heard the familiar soft snore Hinata gave when she was fully asleep.

"That's the first time I've seen her sleep." Amelia quietly commented, getting Riku's attention. "Ever since I've known her, she has had trouble sleeping."

"Really?" Riku asked; his voice barely over a whisper so he wouldn't disturb Hinata. "She never used to be like that."

The rest of the ride continued in silence as they wanted to let Hinata rest. Once they arrived at the house, Riku scooped Hinata into his arms after Jack moved off and carefully climbed out of the carriage. He looked at the large home in front of him as Hinata sighed and nestled her head into the crook of his neck. Doppler led the way to the front double doors and opened them up to allow Riku entrance.

As Riku stepped inside, Doppler whispered. "Hinata's room is up the stairs, the second door on the right; although, you are also welcomed to lay her on the couch in the study."

Looking up the stairwell, Riku quietly replied, "I'll take her to her room. Once she's asleep she's pretty much out for the night."

Doppler nodded with a smile, before remembering. "It may not be my place to say, but it might be best to slightly awaken her once you get her to her room so she can take her medication." When Riku gave him a confused look, he explained. "She's been having problems with waking up from nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Riku repeated, tightening his arms around Hinata.

"She was barely getting any sleep because of them, so about two months ago, at her request; I got her some medication that has been assisting in her sleep. They have kept the nightmares at bay since then."

Riku looked down at Hinata in his arms and felt his heart sink. Sighing, he told Doppler, before heading up the stairs. "Thank you."

He reached the top of the second floor without much trouble and reached the door that led to Hinata's room. Thankfully, it was partially open so Riku wouldn't have to struggle trying to find out a way to open it while also trying to balance Hinata in his arms. Turning around, he pushed the door with the back of his shoulder and entered the bare room. Her large bed was neatly made and a wooden desk near the door was stacked with various books and journals. Briefly scanning the room, he brought her over to the bed and gently laid her on top of the blue comforter. He smiled when he saw her face, peaceful as she was lost in dreams. Then he looked over her and reached towards her hands, pulling off her gauntlets before moving on to her boots. Once they were off and placed on the floor, he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. He looked at her bed side table and saw a small white cylinder pill bottle as well as a flat round plastic container with four black berries inside of it. Reaching forward, he first picked up the berries and rolled them back and forth. They had the appearances of a regular fruit, but something told Riku that they were something else entirely; especially given that the outside of the container was accumulating a thin layer of dust while the berries themselves still seemed fresh and new. He placed them back on the table and reached for the pill bottle. Bringing it over to himself he began reading the medical descriptions on the labeling and felt his heart sink while he read it.

"Riku…" Hinata sleepily mumbled, getting Riku's attention.

He turned his head towards Hinata to see her looking up at him with half-opened glazed eyes. "Hey." He replied with a small smile, before telling her. "Doc wanted me to wake you so you could take this." He showed her the pill bottle.

Rubbing her eyes, she sighed before asking, "Did he tell you why?" When Riku nodded, she pushed herself to lean on her elbows and looked at the bottle. "I was sort of hoping you wouldn't find out."

"What are your nightmares about?" Riku asked, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"I…" Hinata started, averting her eyes as her cheeks flushed. "I dream about the last time we saw each other… when Xehanort took control." She shook her head, "I try not to. I try not to think about it and I keep telling myself that it wasn't you that was…" Her voice trailed off as she sat up and clasped her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry." She whispered; her eyes downcast.

Riku placed the bottle back on the table before moving beside Hinata on the bed. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her towards his chest and told her. "Don't be. It's not your fault." Tightening his hold, he whispered, "It's mine…"

"Riku," Hinata was about to object.

"No, you don't have to lie about it." He interrupted her, his voice calm. "I need to take responsibility for what I did…"

Pulling away from Riku's embrace enough so she could see his face, Hinata told him. "You didn't know what Xehanort was going to do to me."

"But I still allowed him to take control." He averted his gaze. "All I wanted was power and I gave into the darkness; not caring what that meant for you or anyone else…"

"Riku…"

"That James guy asked me earlier why you loved me; what made me so special. I didn't have an answer for him; because… I'm not. The only thing that's remotely special about me is how screwed up I am."

"Riku, that's not true." Hinata interrupted, sitting up. "The fact that you are working so hard to change is a testament to that." She brought her hand up to his cheek and continued. "You need to stop letting past mistakes hold you back. It's good to reflect and learn; but the longer you hold onto them the worse it's going to make you feel."

"But look at me," He objected. "I have to cover my eyes constantly, just so the darkness inside doesn't overtake me. You'll probably never see my eyes again."

"Well lucky for you, your eyes aren't the only thing I love about you." Hinata replied with a small smile as she tried to lighten the mood. "I'll admit that I'm sad I might not ever see your eyes again, but I'm not going to let something like that get between us. I'll love you no matter what you look like." When Riku slowly began to smile, she added. "But, I don't recommend changing anything else about your looks anytime soon. You're pretty much near perfect the way you are."

Riku chuckled, "Perfect, huh?"

Hinata giggled in response as she moved to sit on his lap; placing one leg on either side of him. Running one of her hands through his hair, she told him. "Well yeah, you've changed a lot since I saw you last, but… I like it." She blushed.

Tracing his hands along her waist, Riku smirked and moved forward until their faces were only inches apart before admitting, "I like the way you look too." Once the words left his mouth, he immediately pressed his lips against hers.

He attempted to deepen the kiss, but Hinata pulled away, breaking their lock. Leaning her forehead against his, she confessed, "You know… it's strange."

"What is?" He asked, causing Hinata to sit up so they could see each other's face.

"Before I saw you again, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to let you touch me again." She told him, averting her eyes. "I was so worried that Xehanort would still be inside you…" She paused as she felt Riku tense up before continuing. "And that what happened before could happen again at any time."

"Are you still worried about that?" He asked, a sick feeling forming in the pit of his stomach.

Shaking her head, she admitted. "No… that's what's strange." She looked back at Riku. "It was on my mind a lot before… but the moment I saw you again all of my worries seemed to just disappear."

Placing his hand along her cheek and smiling as Hinata leaned into his touch, he asked. "Why do you think that is?"

Hinata closed her eyes, enjoying his touch, as she admitted, "I'm not sure… I think it's the same reason I was able to fall asleep so easily on the ride back from the Inn. I feel safe beside you. Like I know that you won't let anything bad happen to me."

Riku was silent for a moment and removed his hand from her face, before speaking up. "But… isn't that weird given everything that's happened? I mean, it makes sense that you wouldn't want me touching you after what happened…"

"I suppose," Hinata admitted, "But then again, it could just mean my heart knows you're different now and I don't have to worry anymore." She smiled at him, "And I would much rather be this way rather than afraid of you."

Without replying, Riku looked away from Hinata, his expression hard to read. His muscles were unintentionally tense as his thoughts bogged his mind. Hinata placed her hands on his chest, trying to figure out what was running through his head. Reaching one of her hands up, she pushed back his long hair from the side of his face and leaned forward. Before Riku knew what she was doing, she began lightly kissing his neck. He tensed up further for a moment, taken aback by her sudden affection; but slowly closed his eyes, taking in the sensation. Hinata lips turned up into a smile against his skin as she felt him beginning to relax and moved one of her other hands to brush up against the other side of his neck; massaging it.

After a few minutes, Riku sighed and spoke up with a quieted voice, "This feels really good."

Hinata giggled before pulling back to see Riku's face. With her cheeks flushed, she explained, "Well I noticed you were tense and whenever you used to kiss my neck it would always relax me; so I thought I would see if it worked on you too."

Leaning forward, Riku kissed Hinata and noted, "I'll have to keep that in mind." He was about to kiss her again, but a knock on the bedroom door caught their attention.

Reluctantly, Hinata's moved off of Riku and got up from the bed, making her way towards the door. Opening it, she saw Doppler standing in the hall holding some clothes in his hands.

"Oh, Hinata," His eyes widened a small bit, "I didn't realize you were awake; I hope I'm not intruding."

Hinata smiled and assured him, "No, not at all Doc. Riku just woke me up to make sure I took my sleeping aides."

"Ah, yes," He remembered, "I'm glad he took my advice." Holding out the clothes, he told her. "I wasn't sure if Riku had any comfortable clothes, so I found some of my old pajamas for him to wear. They are clean I assure you."

With a chuckle, Hinata took the clothes, "I have no doubt they are clean. Thank you, that's nice of you to think of him."

Doppler smiled as she grabbed the pajamas and told her, "Yes well, I can't tell you how happy Amelia and I are that you are reunited with Riku again. We could tell just from chatting with both of you at the Inn that you have a strong relationship."

Hinata's cheeks lightly blushed, "Oh, thanks. I'm really glad we're back together too. It's a little overwhelming to be honest."

He lightly laughed in return, "I can understand." Clearing his throat he assured her, "Well then, I will let you get back to sleep. I trust you will have a good night."

"You too Doc, and thank you." She replied with a smile as Doppler walked away. Turning around, she closed the bedroom door and held up the clothes for Riku. "Did you hear?" She asked.

Riku sat at the edge of the bed and smiled, "Yeah, some PJs." He stood and grabbed the clothes from Hinata, an oversized t-shirt and navy blue flannel pants.

"At least you won't be sleeping in that coat." Hinata told him as she looked at the clothes. "Why are you wearing it anyways?"

"It keeps me hidden from the Organization." He told her, without looking up towards her. "They can sense people's hearts but wearing this coat prevents that."

Hinata crossed her arms, "Oh… then should you keep it one while you sleep?"

Shaking his head, Riku told her. "No, they already know I'm here with you and I've tried sleeping in this, it's not comfortable."

Chuckling in response, Hinata went to her dresser and pulled out her own pajamas. Closing the closet drawers when she was done, she asked, "Will I need to wear one of those coats?"

"It would probably be best to." Riku admitted. "We'll see if DiZ can get you one."

"Could I go without it?" She asked, turning towards him.

Giving a confused look, he commented, "I mean… I guess, but it would make it easier for them to track you. But why would you want to?"

She hugged the clothes tight to her chest, explaining, "Well… honestly, I don't know if I could handle wearing the same thing they do." When Riku gave her a confused look, she clarified. "I know it would make it harder for them to find me; but if I go around wearing that coat I'll be associated with them… and that's the one thing I don't want."

"I get that, I feel the same way; but if wearing it means you're safer for it, then I think it's worth it."

"I don't. I don't want anyone to think I have anything to do with their group."

"What did they do to you?" Riku asked, crossing his arms. "I know you said you grew up with them but DiZ mentioned you dealt with the Organization itself before."

"That's where things get complicated…" She admitted, with a sigh. "I don't really know how to explain it without sounding crazy." She looked over at her desk and caught sight of her pile of journals. Walking forward she grabbed her green journal and told Riku. "Well actually… if you really want to know everything you could read through my journals. I wrote down everything that's happened; including what happened with the Organization and how Kairi's my sister."

Riku walked up behind her and grabbed the book. The edges of it were worn and slightly bent, showing signs of use. Different objects protruded from the pages; that Hinata had placed inside to serve as memories. Riku opened the journal to the first page and saw Hinata's handwriting filling the lines. With a small smile, he closed it and looked up at the desk to see four more journals stacked on top of each other.

"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" He asked, actually liking the idea.

Hinata shook her head, "Not at all, I think it would explain it better than me trying to relay it all to you. That way you can just ask me if you have any questions about anything specific." She yawned, before saying, "Now, I'm going to get changed into my PJs. I've stayed up way too late." Without waiting for a reply, she headed towards the bedroom door and went out towards the bathroom to change.

When she came back she saw that Riku was wearing the flannel pants as he lay on the bed reading through the green journal she had given him. Other journals were stacked on the bedside table beside him and his black outfit was folded on the floor next to the large shirt Doppler had lent him. He glanced up when he heard the door open and blushed when he saw Hinata enter the room.

She gave him a quizzical look from his reaction and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, uh no." He unusually stammered, looking her over, "You just don't usually wear things like that."

Hinata looked down at her pajamas and realized what he was talking about; her tank-top was tighter than most of her clothes and had a lower neckline than she would ever normally wear out in public. And her black shorts cut off high up on her thighs and hugged her hips tightly. Her own cheeks blushing, she admitted, "I know, I was surprised myself that I bought them; but they are really comfortable and help me stay cool at night. Amelia keeps this house really warm."

"Well I'm not complaining," Riku shrugged with a smirk, finally looking back at the journal. "You should wear stuff like that all the time."

With a small chuckle, Hinata climbed onto the bed and took a couple pills before scooching over to be next to Riku. Leaning her head against his arm, she told him, "You wish. I don't want anyone besides you seeing me like this. I even wear another undershirt under this tank when I go downstairs in the morning for tea so Doc and Amelia won't be traumatized."

Riku chuckled, "I don't think they would be traumatized by seeing someone beautiful." Moving his arm, he placed it around Hinata and pulled her closer to him. "But thanks."

Hinata laid her head onto Riku's chest and smiled when she heard his familiar heartbeat. Glancing up at the journal in his hand, she asked. "So where are you at?"

"I'm reading about Atlantica." He told her, before laughing. "Did you really turn into a mermaid?"

"Yeah, actually." She laughed. "There should be a picture of me with all the sisters in the next couple pages."

Riku held his page with his thumb as he looked for the photograph. He smiled as he pulled out the thick paper, showing a picture of a large group of mermaids. He instantly recognized Hinata in the front and his cheeks flushed. "Wow…" He whispered. "You look even better than the one in Neverland."

"What?" She asked.

"Oh… When I was in Neverland I actually found a group of mermaids." He told her. "And one of them actually looked a lot like you."

Hinata chuckled, "Really? I wonder if that was around the same time I was in Atlantica."

"I'm surprised you let those girls do your hair." He noted, getting back to the photo. "Selphie tried to do your hair all the time back at the islands."

"Yeah, well they didn't give me much of a choice in the matter." She told him, with a small smile before yawning. "They were a good group of girls though." The pills already beginning to take effect, she closed her eyes and nuzzled closer to Riku. She listened to his steady heartbeat as it lulled her to sleep within minutes.

Riku softly ran his free hand along Hinata's side as he continued to read through the journal in silence, noticing Hinata's breathing evening out into slumber. He went through her time through Atlantica and Christmas Town, trying to keep his reactions silent as to not disturb her. His eyes grew heavy while he read, but he continued, eager to learn about what happened while they were apart. He skipped the parts about him, not wanting to stir up more guilt but began paying attention when he reached her entries about the dreams of her past. As he read, everything began falling into place in his mind. All of her angst against the Organization and Xehanort specifically suddenly made perfect sense; but he still couldn't quite understand why Kairi came to the islands immediately while Hinata had an eight year delay. Yawning, his eyes were finally reaching their limit and Riku begrudgingly placed the journal upside-down on the bedside table. Pulling Hinata closer, her leaned his cheek against her forehead and finally allowed himself to fall into to sleep. A sleep filled with confusing-dreams, trying to make sense of everything he had just read. He would figure everything out; both of them would.


	11. Getting Ready

Chapter 11

Thin streaks of sunlight beamed through a glass window, pouring light into the darkened bedroom. Riku began to lightly stir as the warmth of the new day hit his face and he reluctantly opened his eyes. It took him a moment to remember where he was as he looked around the bare room. He lay on top of a fluffy blue comforter and despite not being under the covers, his skin was warm as the air around him was dry and hot. A contented sigh beside him brought him out of his thoughts and looking over he saw Hinata still snuggled up beside him with her head on his shoulder. He noticed a small smile on her face as she subconsciously ran her hand softly along Riku's chest. She was still lost in dreams, with her eyes peacefully closed while Riku examined her features. They had been apart for over five months and so many things had changed. Her golden eyes still made his heart jump every time she glanced his way and her smile was still beyond contagious; but something about her seemed more mature. His cheeks gradually darkened as he looked her over and he soon forced himself to look away.

He glanced over at the bedside table and caught sight of the journal he had been reading the night before. Reaching over, he grabbed the book and brought it in front of him. With a yawn, he picked up where he had left off and began tracing his free hand along Hinata's figure. It wasn't long before he wasn't able to pay attention to the words in front of him and fought the urge to focus on how Hinata felt to touch again. Closing the book in a small fit of frustration, he carefully removed himself from Hinata's arms without stirring her and got up from the bed.

Bringing the journal along with him he put on the pajama shirt Doppler had given him the night before and left the bedroom. He closed the door behind him as he entered the hallway. The houselights were off, but enough light was pouring in from the windows that the area was still well lit. Riku walked down the stairs to the main floor, where he found the study. He marveled at the stuffed bookshelves that towered to the ceiling. A warm glow filled the room from the furnace along the wall and Riku smiled to himself as he approached a velvet couch that was in front of the fire. He sat down and got comfortable, thankful that he could focus on his thoughts again without Hinata unknowingly tempting him. Once again opening the journal, he began reading where he left off.

The content had him on edge, as he read through her long lonely recovery on Treasure Planet. Every entry was shakily written and the words didn't quite flow the way they had in her previous entries. Despite the sinking feeling in his heart, he continued to read and was surprised to find a hand drawn picture when he turned a page. He turned the book to a landscape view, trying to decipher what the sketch was supposed to be.

"Are those… mountains?" He asked himself in a quiet voice. It looked as if Hinata had been trying to draw something she saw, but Riku hadn't the slightest idea what she was trying to convey. Chuckling to himself, he turned the page and muttered, "I'll have to ask her about it later."

"Good Morning, Riku." Doppler spoke up as he sleepily entered the study with his dark purple robe on over his pajamas. "I trust you slept well."

Riku looked up from the journal and gave a small welcoming smile to Doppler. Nodding his head he quietly answered, "Yeah, I slept great actually." He sat up and closed the book, before adding, "Thank you, by the way, for letting me stay here."

"No trouble at all." Doppler smiled, before looking towards the fire. "I'm surprised Hinata is not up yet. She is usually the one I see reading by the fire in the morning."

"Really?" He asked, also looking over at the crackling flames, "I usually have to fight her to even get out of bed."

"Ah, yes, she's mentioned that before." Doppler chuckled. "With everything that happened, I can understand how her sleeping schedule could shift." He glanced over at Riku and cleared his throat. "Now I best be off to make the morning tea, would you care for a cup?"

"Um… sure, thanks." He told him, sitting back.

Doppler nodded as he turned to head towards the kitchen. Calling behind him, he mentioned. "Amelia should be out here soon. We try to have a quiet morning to ourselves before we have to wake the children."

Riku smiled to himself and answered, "Good idea." Once Doppler was out of the room, he glanced up towards the stairway that led to the second floor; considering awaking Hinata. His thoughts were interrupted as Amelia entered the study, already in her everyday clothes.

She readjusted her long black sleeve shirt as she greeted, "Lovely morning, isn't it?"

"Yeah," He agreed, unsure of what else to say.

Amelia sat down in a chair across from him and looked at the flickering flames from the furnace. After a few minutes of silence between them, she spoke up. "I noticed last night that Hinata acts differently around you."

Riku looked up from the journal he was skimming and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I suppose to put it simply; she is at ease around you." She admitted, "Ever since I have known her, she has been partially withdrawn from others as if she wasn't completely relaxed." With a shrug, she noted, "I always assumed that was just her personality, but then last night when she returned with you at her side; a part of her was present that I had never noticed before." She glanced over at Riku and told him, "I am not sure what you did to win her affection, but you have it fully."

With a small smile, Riku laughed softly, "I'm not sure what I did either."

Amelia smiled in response and then noticed Doppler reentering the study holding a platter with three filled tea cups on top. "Ah, there you are Doctor." She greeted him, taking her cup gratefully.

"Thanks," Riku told him, also grabbing his cup. He stared down at the brown translucent liquid as the wisps of steam warmed his already heated skin.

"Is Hinata still asleep?" Amelia asked as Riku took a drink of the tea.

"I think so." He answered, glancing towards the stairwell. "I was thinking of waking her up soon."

"She is welcomed to sleep in to any desired time, it's just unlike her." She commented.

"So I've heard." He noted, taking a drink of his tea. "What did Hinata usually do? I mean, like during the day?"

Doppler sat on the other end of the couch Riku was on, before answering. "Usually she would join me and Amelia for our morning tea and then do some writing in her journal upstairs."

"Then at ten-hundred hours, my prized student, Collette and I would instruct her in hand-to-hand combat." Amelia added.

"She's been learning how to fist-fight?" He asked somewhat surprised.

"She's getting rather good at it." She noted, "She picks things up rather fast."

"Then after that she would usually head to her friend Sam's shop." Doppler finished. "She spent most of her time there."

"Yes, with Sam and that boy James." Amelia agreed with a sigh, before telling Riku, "I saw the way you handled the confrontation with him last night. It was rather civil in my opinion."

Riku lightly laughed as he placed his empty cup on a nearby table. "I didn't think being violent about it would make a good first impression on everyone."

They chuckled in response and Doppler added, "But still, regardless of reasons, you handled him quite well."

"I was shocked to discover he was still pursuing Hinata after the incident at the reopening of the Inn." Amelia said with a smirk.

"Was that when she hit him?" Riku asked, leaning forward.

Amelia laughed, "Oh yes, quite. It was rather unexpected."

"What exactly did he do?" He asked. "Hinata didn't say much."

"We didn't hear everything." Doppler spoke up. "It was at the reopening of the Benbo Inn and James was able to get Hinata to dance with him." Noticing a frown appearing on Riku's face, he cleared his throat and continued. "During the dance, Hinata said something that made James visibly upset; although I haven't the faintest idea what it could have been."

"Then they began arguing with each other, gradually growing louder and gaining the attention of everyone surrounding them; including us." Amelia added. "The only part we heard was James telling Hinata that she would never make it home and then…"

"She hit him." Riku finished, leaning back in his seat. "I wonder what she said to him to make him mad in the first place." There was an awkward silence in the air, until Riku abruptly stood from his seat. "Thanks for the tea; I'm going to head back upstairs to get Hinata up."

"Before you go," Doppler spoke up, also standing from his seat. "I have something I wanted to give you." He rushed into the other room and shortly came back with a small bundle of clothes in his arms. "I don't know if you need these, but these belonged to Sarah's husband and he was about your size. They're completely clean and you're welcomed to keep them." He assured him.

"Oh, uh, thanks." Riku replied, taking the clothes. Giving both of them a small smile, he turned and left the study. Heading up the stairwell he went towards Hinata's room, but then stopped in front of the door. "Maybe it would be better to let her sleep." He mumbled to himself. Turning around he saw the door to the restroom open and decided to take a shower to allow Hinata a few more minutes of rest.

Within the next twenty minutes he came out of the steamy shower and put on the outfit Doppler had given him; looking himself over in the mirror when he was done. His hair was damp and slick against his skin, wetting the top of the teal sleeveless shirt. The fabric was well fitted around his chest but was rather comfortable. Dark gray pants loosely covered his legs but were held up above his hips with a black belt. A black jacket was still folded on the bathroom counter, waiting to be put on. Riku grabbed it as pushed his still moist hair out of his face and exited the room. Reentering the hallway, he went back to Hinata's room and slowly opened the door to see Hinata still fast asleep in the bed. He quietly chuckled to himself as he closed the door behind him and tossed his new jacket on the desk. Jack was curled up at the edge of the bed and perked his ears up as Riku entered the room. His tail began to wag as he floated up and quickly approached Riku. He seemed like he was about to bark, but Riku held a finger up to his lips, before smiling and scratching him behind the ears. Once Jack was greeted, Riku approached the bed and sat on the edge beside Hinata.

Placing his hand on her shoulder he gently shook her, but she only sighed in response. He smiled before leaning forward and shortly pressed his lips against her cheek. In a soft voice he told her, "Hey Sleepyhead, it's time to get up."

He began lightly kissing her face again, moving along her jawline as his long hair fell in front of him, barely touching her skin. In reaction, Hinata rustled the blankets and quietly groaned. "Stop it, Jack."

Pulling back, Riku gave her a confused look, before laughing, "I'm not Jack."

"What?" She groggily asked as she forced her heavy eyelids opened. Through half-opened eyes, she saw Riku above her with a smile on his face. "Oh… hello." She greeted, a smile forming on her face. "I thought you were Jack."

"So I noticed," He commented with a chuckle, before asking. "Not sure why though. Does he usually kiss you in the morning?"

Hinata scoffed as she propped herself up on her elbows. "More like doggie kisses. He just usually licks my face until I wake up." As the words left her mouth, Jack floated past Riku and bombarded Hinata with a good morning nuzzle. "See? It's like he hasn't seen me in days!" She laughed, trying to wave him away.

Riku snickered as he grabbed the tip of Jack's bony tail and gently tugged him back. "That's supposed to be my job, you know." He told him, before turning towards Hinata. He waited for Jack to float out of the room before he cupped the side of Hinata's face with his hand. Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek and asked. "How did you sleep?"

Blushing from his touch, she replied, "The best I've had in a long time."

At that answer, Riku smiled and was about to kiss her, but she turned away. He gave her a confused expression as he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Hinata looked down at her hands in her lap and admitted, "No… it's just I don't want you to kiss me right when I wake up."

"Why?" He asked, almost worried.

She was silent for a minute, before mumbling. "Because of morning breath."

Riku scoffed and grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards him. "I don't care about that." Before Hinata could object, he met their lips together, kissing her deeply. Breaking their lock within seconds, he planted a small kiss on the tip of her nose and told her. "Besides, you don't have morning breath."

Hinata's cheeks were deeply flushed as she smiled in response to his words. She was about to kiss him again, but the moment before their lips met the sound of multiple babies crying echoed through the halls. Hinata quietly groaned and leaned her forehead on Riku's shoulder as she complained. "Well that's a mood-killer." With a sigh, she sat back up and pulled away from Riku's embrace, no longer in his trance. "I guess the babies woke up." She glanced back over at him and noted, "Your clothes are different."

"What? Oh… Yeah, that Doppler guy let me have them." He told her with a sigh, slightly sulking that their moment had been interrupted.

Noticing his mood, she placed her hand on his leg and assured him. "We'll have time later."

"I know," He replied, looking away. After a moment of silence, he asked, "So what are we doing today?"

Hinata stood from the bed and stretched, as she told him. "Well, I want to show you my ship, Sam built. Maybe there is a way we can take it to Twilight Town."

Riku reluctantly stood from the bed and wrapped his arms around Hinata's waist, hugging her from behind. "We might be able to, but it would be probably be faster to take a Corridor." As he finished talking, he began kissing along Hinata's neck; pulling back when the babies' cries only grew louder. Leaning his forehead on her shoulder he complained, "Do they always cry like this in the morning?"

Chuckling, Hinata answered, "Yeah, there are four of them, so it can be tough to get all of them ready in the morning. I honestly don't know how Doc and Amelia do it." Pulling away from his embrace, she told him. "I'm going to take a quick shower and get ready. Then we can head out."

He nodded as she grabbed some clothes from her dresser and left the room. Sitting on the bed, he waited for her to return while lost in his thoughts. Within the next twenty minutes Hinata opened the door with her pajamas crumpled in her arms. Riku looked up at her new outfit and smiled. She wore a light blue long-sleeve sweater with white lining that fit off her shoulders. The straps of a black tank-top underneath the sweater could be seen along her otherwise bare shoulders. Plain white flats were peeking out from under her black pants as Hinata tossed her pajamas into a hamper. She grabbed her satchel from her desk and turned to Riku.

"Alright, ready to go?" She asked with a smile.

Riku sat there, looking at Hinata for a moment, before smiling and getting up to his feet. Walking over to her, he kissed her cheek and nodded, "Yeah, let's go." Taking a couple steps back, he commented, "You look beautiful."

Hinata slightly wrinkled her nose, "Beautiful? I'm just wearing a plain sweater. It's supposed to be chilly outside today."

"Well you're beautiful no matter what you wear." Riku told her, grabbing his new jacket before turning towards the door.

Opening it, they walked out into the hallway and were cut off by one of the babies crawling in front of them. They stopped their actions and looked up at them with their big cat eyes. Their ears perked up when they saw Hinata, but slightly lowered when they noticed Riku beside her.

"Annabelle! Come back here." Doppler called from the other room, scurrying out to the hall and picking up his stray child. He stood with the baby in his arms and looked over Riku and Hinata. "Ah, I see the clothes fit nicely. Are you headed out?"

"Yes, I wanted to show him my ship." Hinata answered, patting Annabelle's head as the baby giggled in response.

"Well, have a good time." He replied, taking his child back to the others.

"Make sure to grab some food before you go!" Amelia called from the children's room.

"We will!" Hinata called back, grabbing Riku's hand and leading him down the stairs.

She led him to the kitchen and grabbed both of them a blueberry muffin before heading out the door. Jack caught sight of them leaving and quickly bounded after them so he could tag along. Cold wind breezed against their skin as they exited the home and Riku put on the jacket he had been holding in his arms. The sky was in an unusual overcast and gave their surroundings an almost dull tone. Hinata led the way, as they walked down the long stone street that led from the house to the marketplace as Jack bounded ahead and Riku followed close behind. They walked in a comfortable silence, taking small bites of the muffins they had grabbed before leaving.

Once she had finished her food, Hinata spoke up, "I've been wanting to ask; yesterday you mentioned something about Heartless, but I haven't seen any around here. Where are they?"

Riku ate the last bite of his muffin, before commenting. "They won't be here for a while. When they broke the border to this galaxy they went to all those planets that are right by the border. So this place has a while before they get here."

"Is there a way to stop them before they get here?" She asked.

"Not without Sora and a Keyblade." He told her, stuffing his cold hands into the pockets on his jacket.

"What about Donald and Goofy?" She remembered, "I thought they were the ones that closed the world borders before."

"They were travelling with Sora." He reminded her.

"How come you seem to remember Sora, but I don't?"

"I don't remember him." He admitted, "I only know the things I'm telling you because that's what DiZ and Namine have been telling me."

"Then, how do you know they are telling the truth?" She asked.

"Because I see Sora at Twilight Town and I feel like I know him. I can't explain it, but I know they are telling me the truth."

Hinata paused in thought for a moment, before asking. "Who's Namine?"

"Namine is a witch…" He shook his head, "That's what DiZ calls her. She can somehow change and manipulate Sora's memories and people whose hearts are connected with him."

"So is she the reason we can't remember Sora?"

Riku nodded, "After you and I got separated in Hollow Bastion, I got free from Xehanort and helped Sora close the Door to Darkness. Then after that I somehow ended up in this place called Castle Oblivion." He shook his head and sighed, "It was a really strange place the Organization made and apparently Sora was there too… except I was in the basement of the castle and he was on the main floor. I started going up different floors to get to Sora, but he was going up too; his memories getting more screwed up the higher he went."

"Namine was messing them up?"

"It wasn't her fault." He stood up for her. "The Organization had somehow gotten her into custody and were forcing her to do it. By the time Sora and I had taken out most of the Organization members that were manipulating her, Sora's memories weren't anywhere near what they used to be. So to fix him up, Namine put him in some sort of sleep stasis so she can rewrite his memories to the way they used to be; but to do it she also had to temporarily take away all the memories we have of him."

"So every person that knew Sora can't remember anything about him?" She asked; her eyes downcast. "Will it always be like that?"

"No, that's why I'm working with DiZ and Namine." He told her. "I want to do everything I can to wake him back up. He is my best friend after all."

"Is it weird saying that when you don't actually have any memories of him?"

"A little bit." He admitted with a sad smile. "But then every time I see him in that sleeping pod, I know that I'm doing the right thing."

"Then… what will I be doing when I go to Twilight Town?" She finally asked, looking up at him.

"We've sort of hit a stand still. Namine is missing some of Sora's memories because they are in this guy, Roxas."

"Roxas?" She repeated. "Why would he have Sora's memories? Is that even possible?"

Riku looked up at the cloudy sky, trying to figure out a simple way to explain it. "You know how when a person loses their heart to the darkness, they turn into a Heartless?" When Hinata nodded in response, he continued. "Well, when a Heartless is created, so is a creature called a Nobody."

"What's a Nobody?" She asked.

"It's what remains of people that lose their hearts to darkness." He looked back to her. "Most Nobodies are things we call Dusks, basically husks of a human that try to attack; but then there are a few Nobodies that had strong hearts when they died and those guys are the Members of the Organization."

Hinata's eyes widened and she looked ahead of them at the path they walked along. After a moment she pieced together. "So that's what Isa meant when he said that when you become a Member your original body is destroyed. He literally died…" Her face saddened before she asked. "What do these Nobodies have to do with that Roxas guy?"

"He's Sora's Nobody." He told her. "He's the Thirteenth Member of the Organization."

Hinata stopped walking and crossed her arms. "But you just said that Sora was in Twilight Town asleep. If he has a Nobody shouldn't he be… you know, dead?"

"I don't remember the details, but according to Namine, Sora used Ansem's… or Xehanort's, Keyblade to unlock his heart because Kairi's heart was inside of his." When he saw Hinata look up at him surprised he finished. "Doing that turned him into a Heartless; but somehow Kairi was able to bring him back."

"How?" She asked, interrupting.

"I have no idea." He shook his head. "But even though Kairi got him back, his Nobody was still created."

"Roxas…" She whispered before walking forward to be beside Riku and pieced together. "So since Sora is in that stasis sleep, some of his memories got stuck inside Roxas; which means that Namine can't completely get Sora back to normal without those memories."

"Exactly." He nodded in response. "And what's even weirder is that about a month ago I ran into a newer Member of the Organization, a girl about our age, maybe a year younger, and her face looked exactly like Kairi's."

"What?" Hinata's face paled. "Kairi didn't… I mean she wouldn't…. what happened to her?" She was about to panic about her sister, until Riku went in front of her and quickly placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I forgot you didn't know what happened to Kairi." He quickly interrupted. "She's safe and back on Destiny Islands. After Sora defeated Xehanort the Island came back and so did all the people that used to live there."

A huge relief was plain across Hinata's face as she let out a breath and leaned into Riku for a comforting hug. "I can't tell you what was just running through my mind." She told him, her racing heart calming. "I was worried she…" Her voice trailed off.

"No she's safe, I promise." He told her, running his hand along her back. "Sorry… I probably should have told you about what happened to her sooner."

Hinata reluctantly pulled back so she could see his face and told him, "No it's fine, we're trying our best to catch each other up on everything. I'm just relieved to know that she is safe." She leaned back into his arms, before going back to the conversation. "So, why did that Nobody have Kairi's face then?"

Riku was silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts, until he eventually admitted, "I don't know. We're trying to figure it out." Pulling his arms back from her, he told her. "But right now, we've just been focusing on keeping an eye on Roxas and trying to figure out how to get Sora's memories from him."

"Did Roxas come to this galaxy?" She asked and when Riku gave her a confused expression, she explained, "I mean, if you are trying to keep an eye on him… why else would you come to this galaxy?"

Crossing his arms, Riku explained. "DiZ sometimes sends me on unrelated missions; mostly when Roxas stays at the Organization Home-world for a few days. He didn't tell me why, he just told me to go to the Benbo Inn on Montressor."

"Is he usually that vague?" She asked.

Riku scoffed, "He's vague about basically everything. He won't even tell me the real reason he's helping me so much with Sora."

"So… how did he know I was here?"

"He didn't," He smirked. "Once I saw you in the Inn and ran out without saying anything I called DiZ. When I told him you were there Namine got on the line and told me that she had sensed your heart and told DiZ about it; but they couldn't be a hundred percent sure, so they just told me to go without warning me that I might run into you."

"She sensed my heart?" She repeated.

"The same way the Organization knew you were here too." He explained. "Once the border was down it didn't take long for them to know where you were."

Hinata placed her hand over her heart and looked away. "That's not the least bit unsettling."

Riku laughed under his breath, "The exact reason why you're going to be wearing one of those black coats when we get to Twilight Town."

"Yeah, still no." She told him, finally beginning to walk along the path again.

With a slightly exasperated sigh, Riku turned and followed after Hinata, while calling after her. "I don't think you're going to get much choice in the matter."

"We'll see." She mumbled under her breath, shivering as the cold wind breezed through her thin sweater.

Riku jogged up to her side and grabbed her hand as they continued to walk. They made their way to the marketplace in comfortable silence until they met up with Jack waiting at the edge of the bustling and busy market. Hinata stopped in by Jack and tightened her hand around Riku before entering the crowd. She weaved through the shops and aliens with ease, much to Riku's surprise, until they reached the brick alleyway. Leading inside, Hinata paused for a moment to catch her breath.

"You seem like you do that a lot." Riku spoke up, looking out of the safe haven at the lively crowd.

"Yeah, almost every day." She told him, standing back up straight. "Sam's shop is right back here."

Riku followed Hinata as she walked further into the alley and stopped when he saw the old looking shop. He examined it for a moment before heading towards the door after Hinata. She pushed the creaking door open and walked into the dusty lobby.

"What made you buy a ship here?" Riku asked in a quiet voice.

Hinata chuckled, "I found this place on accident and once I met Sam and James, it just felt right. Wait until you see what Sam built though; I'm glad I stuck with my gut."

Walking past the counter, they entered the large factory area and Jack immediately perked up and began barking, echoing through the vast room. Hinata shivered and ran her hands along her arms in an attempt to create warmth. Riku put his arm around her and ran his hand up and down her arm, pulling her close to him.

"Do you want my jacket?" He asked her.

"No, don't worry about it." She told him, shivering. "It's just this room is a lot colder than outside was."

Riku looked up at the towering ceiling. "Yeah, I don't imagine it would be cheap to keep this place heated." Bringing his gaze back down, he caught sight of the large ship in the center trench of the room. Taking a step forward and bringing Hinata along with him, he asked. "Is that yours?"

Hinata looked away from the way her breath was able to condensate with the chilling air by creating puffs of what looked like white smoke and followed Riku's gaze. A smile beamed on her face as she caught sight of her ship, "Yeah!"

"May I introduce you to, the Highwind!" Sam exclaimed, coming up from the other side of the ship. "Ben told me about the name idea last night, I love it!" She rubbed her hands along her bare arms as she spoke.

Hinata smiled at Sam and greeted, "Good morning! I can't believe you are wearing that when it's so cold in here."

Sam looked down at her small shirt that exposed most of her midriff. Sheepishly smiling, she defended, "Yeah, I didn't realize just how cold it was today until I got here."

"Don't you live here though?" Hinata asked, "Just go grab one from your bedroom."

"I share a room with James though, and he's still sleeping." She told her. "I'll go get one after he's up."

"That thing is huge!" Riku commented, getting back to the Highwind.

Sam smiled in response and motioned towards the deck, "Would you like a tour?"

"Sure," He nodded, walking forward beside Hinata.

They followed Sam up the ramp onto the metal deck and Sam began showcasing different things to Riku; occasionally slipping into tech talk until Hinata would remind her to speak English. The sails of the ship could all be controlled by a small control board beside a large wheel. The navigation could be set to autopilot, but could also turn to manual by a push of a button. Sam explained that Ben was there almost every day perfecting the controls and that Hinata had been getting lessons on how to pilot.

"You know how to fly it?" Riku asked Hinata as they began to head below deck.

Hinata shrugged, "More or less. I could at least steer if Ben isn't around. Not sure how well I could maneuver in a firefight though."

"Not that you would have to worry much about that," Sam pointed out. "There are six separate plasma cannons on this thing as well as a laser gatling gun on deck; so you can basically outgun almost anything you find out there." She stopped and admitted, "Well, unless it's a capital warship… don't mess with those."

"I don't plan on it." Hinata laughed, stepping onto the red carpet once she took the last step of the stairs.

"Wow," Riku muttered, as he walked up beside Hinata and looked around the area.

They stood in a large rectangular area that was just as cozy as a living room in a home rather than the lower decks of a ship. A wooden table bolted to the floor stood in the center of the room, surrounded by chairs with red cushions that matched the dark carpet. A black couch was along the side of one of the walls with a tall lamp next to it; everything secured to the floor. At the far end of the area was a hallway that led to the back of the ship. Riku walked past the table and approached the hall to see four separate doors and another staircase that led to a lower level.

"Three bedrooms and a bathroom." Hinata told him as she came up beside him. "Then lower down is the kitchen and the weapons."

"It's like a home." He told her. "Why did you buy one so big?"

Hinata leaned against the wall and shrugged, "Well, I wasn't sure if I would ever get out of here; but if I did I wanted to go look for you and Kairi. Then when I did find you guys, I didn't know where we would go, since I thought the Island was gone; so I wanted to make sure that whatever ship I did buy would be livable." She glanced around the comfortable space. "But now that you're here and we can leave, it does feel like a bit much."

Riku smiled and looked around the area. "I don't think so. It might come in handy, and it's pretty cool you got a custom ship built. I'll talk to DiZ to see if there's a way we can get it back to Twilight Town with us."

"When are you guys leaving?" Sam spoke up, standing beside the table.

Hinata and Riku looked at each other, seemingly asking each other the same question. Eventually, Hinata answered, "If we can get everything ready, I was actually thinking tomorrow morning." Seeing the surprised look on Riku's face, she reached forward and grabbed his hand. "We're needed back in Twilight Town as soon as possible."

"That soon, huh?" Sam replied; her voice quiet and her eyes slowly saddening. Shaking her head, she perked up. "Well alright then! Better make sure I put the finishing touches on the Highwind then!" Quickly turning around, she headed up the stairwell, back towards the deck of the ship.

Hinata watched her leave and then looked back at Riku as they stood alone in the hall. "Is tomorrow morning alright to leave? We could leave tonight if we had to."

"I was thinking you would want to stay longer." He admitted, running his thumb along her hand. "Are you sure you're ready to go?"

Nodding, she told him. "I have made some wonderful friends here, but I've been waiting for that border to go down for months. I've always been ready. Plus, I want to be able to help you with Sora."

Riku smiled and glanced at the stairway that led up to the deck, making sure no one was coming down; before taking a couple steps forward until he was right in front of Hinata. Moving one of his hands up to her cheek, he whispered. "I love you."

Hinata's face blushed and she gave a small laugh, "I love you too… where did that come from?"

"I just wanted to say it first this time." He shrugged with a smirk, before moving his hand from her cheek to behind her neck and pulling her into a kiss.

Hinata sighed as he pressed his lips against hers and ran her hands up his chest to behind his neck. As her arms wrapped around his neck, Riku gently pushed her against the wall, kissing her deeply while moving his hands down to her hips. The sound of someone walking on the stairs caused them to swiftly pull apart, both of their faces flushed. Riku crossed his arms and turned away, obviously irritated that their moment had once again been interrupted; as Hinata regained her breath, still leaning against the wall. She looked towards the stairs to see James walking down the steps. He looked like he had just recently woken up and had his hands stuffed into the pockets of a dark brown jacket. A small smile appeared on Hinata's face as she saw him but she stayed where she was.

James looked up at her as he stepped down the last stair. His expression was hard to read, but after they stared at each other for a moment he began to smile. "Good morning." He eventually spoke up.

Hinata noticed Riku tighten his grip around his arms as he heard James speak; but she replied, "Good morning, James. I'm glad you're up. You slept in today." She tried to make conversation.

"Yeah, I had a hard time getting to sleep last night." Giving a slight glare in Riku's direction, even though Riku had his back to him, he admitted, "I'm surprised I'm allowed to talk to you today."

"If it were my choice you wouldn't be." Riku bit, before Hinata could respond.

Clearing her throat uncomfortably, Hinata tried to ignore the tense air surrounding them. "Did Sam tell you that I'm probably leaving tomorrow morning?"

James looked away from Riku and his angered eyes swiftly softened. "Uh… no. Don't you think that's a little soon? I mean, is the ship even ready?"

"Is that really your business?" Riku asked, turning around to face James.

"I don't see why it shouldn't be." James defended, crossing his arms and returning the glare he was sure Riku was giving him behind the sash covering his eyes. "She's my friend too. I want to make sure she knows what she's doing."

"She can take care of herself." Riku told him, his frustration rising.

"Just like she did when you abandoned her in this galaxy?" James asked.

"James, that's not what happened." Hinata spoke up, giving him a warning glance. "Sam said the ship is basically done and I am needed back in my galaxy. I know it's really soon and unexpected, but you know I've been wanting to get back home for a while."

Placing his arms back down to his sides, James looked over Hinata for a moment before sighing, "Alright… if that's what you want." He glanced over at Riku, who had turned away again. He was obviously on edge. "Where are you going when you leave here?"

"A place called Twilight Town." Hinata told him. "It's back in the other galaxy."

"Why are you going there?" He asked, "What about that Island you talked about?"

"Why do you need to know?" Riku interrupted; his voice clear with frustration. "It's not like you'll ever get to leave this planet."

"What's your problem?" James asked, his own voice beginning to get irritated. "Last night you were all calm; but now you're just being an ass."

"I just don't know why you're insisting on being part of her life." Riku replied, turning towards him, "You obviously don't respect her privacy or choices anyways."

"Riku…" Hinata tried to calm him, pushing off the wall and speaking quietly. "I get what you're trying to do, but please, he's my friend. I should be able to at least talk to him."

Without answering, Riku just looked away, his cheeks flushed with exasperation and embarrassment.

James rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Uh… look, I'm just going to go. He's obviously pissed about something. I'll talk to you later today; preferably alone, alright?"

When Hinata nodded in response he turned around and headed back up the stairs towards the deck. Once he was out of earshot, Hinata placed her hand along Riku's arm and asked, "Alright, what was that about?"

"It's nothing," He told her quickly, not meeting her gaze. "Just wasn't in the mood to talk to him."

"He wasn't even talking to you," She pointed out, trying to keep irritation out of her voice. "He was trying to have a conversation with me when you sort of just butt in with your snide remarks."

"We haven't gotten one uninterrupted moment since we got back together." He finally blurted, tightening his hands around his arms.

"What?" Hinata asked, taken aback by his answer.

"Look, I know it's dumb and immature, or whatever you want to call it," He confessed, "But every time we try to have a moment or make up for lost time, something keeps getting in the way."

Hinata stared at Riku for a moment as she pieced together. "So… you blew up at James because he interrupted us kissing?"

Riku's cheeks darkened as he reluctantly nodded; but then added. "Well that and he's just an asshole."

"Riku!" She scolded him, hitting his arm after he cursed; but seeing the smirk appear on his face in response she couldn't help but begin to laugh. "You're unbelievable." She snickered.

Chuckling in response, despite the frustration inside him, Riku answered, "Yeah, I know I'm being dumb. I'm just getting impatient I guess."

"You aren't being dumb." She assured him, "I'm just surprised is all. It's been bothering me too."

"Really?"

"Well yeah, we haven't seen each other for five months and neither of us knew for sure if the other was even still alive anymore. Let alone if we would ever see each other again." She looked away as her cheeks blushed, "So… yeah, I really want to make up for lost time too."

Riku sighed in relief, "I'm glad."

"You are?"

"Yeah, I was beginning to feel like a creep always wanting to touch you." He admitted. "This morning I couldn't even stay in the bed with you because of it." He looked away slightly embarrassed that he was sharing everything with her. "There are tons of things I like about you, but since I've been with you again, almost all I can think about is kissing you again."

Hinata stared at him for a moment before breaking into a laugh. When Riku gave her a confused look, she explained. "I thought I was the only one! Geez, this whole time I've been feeling so embarrassed because I just want to have some uninterrupted time with you so we could make out!"

Riku laughed in response, "Really?"

"Yeah, I've been feeling pretty shallow." She placed her hands on her hips.

"Well I suppose that makes two of us then."

"Honestly, I wish there was a way we could just go back to the Island for a while; like a vacation; just the two of us." She laughed under her breath, "Isn't that weird, a vacation at home?"

With a small laugh, he commented, "No, I feel the same way. I'll talk to DiZ to see what I can do. We wouldn't be able to stay the whole day, but I could take you for a visit at least."

"Really?" She turned towards him, surprised. "Could we see Kairi?"

"We wouldn't be able to let anyone know we were there." He admitted. "Kairi is safer not knowing where we are. We wouldn't want her to get involved with the Organization."

Hinata frowned, but agreed, "Yeah, I suppose you're right. At least I know she's safe. I wonder how she'll react to learn we're sisters."

"Yeah, me too." He replied, crossing his arms. Their conversation was interrupted as a buzzing sound came from Riku's pocket. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his silver communications device. He glanced up at Hinata, "Do you want to meet DiZ?"

Clearing her throat, she shrugged, "Uh sure, I mean I'm going to be working with him; might as well meet him."

Hinata stood beside Riku as he pressed the flat blue button in the center of the device, causing it to light up and bring up a small hologram of DiZ.

DiZ looked over at Hinata and greeted, "Hinata, this is a surprise."

"DiZ, I assume?" She asked, glancing up at Riku.

"Have you told her the mission?" DiZ immediately addressed Riku.

"Yeah," He nodded.

"Have you any questions?" DiZ asked Hinata.

"Actually yeah," She started, glancing around the ship. "I got a big ship built here in Montressor and I was wondering if there was any way we could get it to Twilight Town."

"What became of your Gummi Ship?" He asked.

"It… sort of crashed." She admitted. "And the planet it crashed on is gone now too; so I needed a new ship."

DiZ's one visible eye widened before he let out a deep chuckle. "Well then I suppose your new vessel will have to suffice. Riku's Corridors of Darkness do travel from worlds quickly; though he is often left with low stamina as a result. For longer trips such as his journey to your present galaxy, a ship would be most helpful; however the speed of it must be increased if you are to come to Twilight Town."

"Yeah, Sam and I took a fast ship to the border a couple months ago and it took us about three days; with my ship it would probably take longer." Hinata told him.

"With the right equipment it should take less than a single day." DiZ told her. "The person who built the vessel, do you trust them?"

Hinata nodded, 'Yeah, she's one of my best friends."

"Is she now?" He asked, a smile heard in his voice. Looking over at Riku he told him, "Take this device to her, I have much to discuss."

"Alright," Riku nodded, leaving Hinata's side to go up the stair well to the deck. As he walked, he asked, "How do you know so much about ships?" When DiZ didn't respond, he sighed, "Another secret, huh?" He shook his head in slight frustration as he found Sam working on something on the navigational system. "Hey Sam, someone wants to talk to you about the ship."

Sam looked up from her work and spotted the hologram in Riku's palm. "What is that?" She asked walking over to him. Once she saw it was a person, she corrected, "Or really, who?"

"His name is DiZ," Hinata explained coming onto the deck. "He's the one Riku and I will be working with. He says he knows a way to make The Highwind faster."

With a scoff, Sam crossed her arms. "I don't think so… but I'll hear him out." She outstretched her hand and looked at the small image of DiZ as Riku placed the contraption in her hand. "Uh… hi, I'm Sam." She told him awkwardly.

"Do you have FTL Drive technology?" DiZ went right to the case.

Sam looked at him in confusion. "I've never heard of it. What is it?"

"Simply put, it allows a ship to reach velocities faster than the speed of light." He informed her.

"That's impossible!" Sam exclaimed.

"Alright, can someone explain this in English?" Hinata spoke up, lost by their jargon.

Sam sighed and explained, "Basically this DiZ guy thinks that he can make The Highwind reach faster than light speeds, without completely destroying your ship." Looking back at DiZ, she told him, "It's against the laws of physics! Nothing can go faster than the speed of light; especially not an entire starship!"

"I know of a technology that would allow a starship to slip into another dimension and take short cuts through space." DiZ explained. "I can send you the schematics to build the device. If you are as good of a mechanic as Hinata has led me to believe, you should not have any trouble building it."

"The power requirement for something like that has to be ridiculous!" She exclaimed.

"It does require magic to initiate, but once activated it can go on for extended amounts of time with very little power." He explained.

"Magic?" She asked. "What in the world are you talking about?"

DiZ sighed, before telling her, "Riku has the magic needed to initiate the core. The same power he uses to create the Corridors of Darkness."

"Wait what?" Riku spoke up, hearing his name.

"After the device is completed, you will need to create a Corridor inside its containment field." DiZ explained, "However, the portal must begin and end in the same place."

"Is that even possible?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, I'm not sure how to even do that." Riku admitted.

"It takes an extensive amount of concentration, but once the portal is created the device will take over and keep it stable. After that you will no longer need to focus your energies on the Corridor." DiZ told him.

"Alright then, how are you getting me the schematics for this thing?" Sam spoke up.

"There should be a robot nearby that will have all of the schematics you need." He told them. "They were downloaded into its mind automatically while we were speaking. It should be there shortly."

"Seriously?" Sam asked with a sigh.

"Guys, guys!" Ben's cheery voice caught all of them off guard as he bolted into the factory. "You are not going to believe it, but I just got this crazy idea!" He ran onto the deck of the ship and motioned his hands in the air. "Imagine this, a ship travelling faster than the speed of light!"

DiZ gave a deep voiced laugh before abruptly ending the transmission.


	12. Saying Goodbye

Chapter 12

Lively chatter filled the Inn as Sarah bustled through the busy dining room, delivering food to different tables. Hinata sat beside Riku in a booth, leaning into him as his arm was over her shoulder.

"Man, I'm starving!" Sam complained across from them while placing the menu on the table top. "I could have eaten by now if we just stayed at the shop."

Hinata chuckled, "I know, but since I'm leaving tomorrow, I wanted to eat here at least one last time. Plus, I should probably tell Sarah that I'm not going to work here anymore."

"Yeah, I think that was pretty obvious the moment those Organization guys showed up." Sam sighed. "Hopefully the food gets here soon though; I need to get working on that FTL Drive thing that DiZ guy sent me. I was able to scan the schematics off Ben's mind pretty easy, but it's going to take me a few hours to get it built."

"Don't rush yourself." Hinata told her. "If we need to stay longer so you can finish it, we can."

Waving her hand dismissively, she replied, "Nah, its fine. It's actually a pretty simple design and I have the parts." Leaning back in her chair she lamented, "Too bad we don't have that magic stuff in this galaxy. Then space travel would be literally faster than light. You guys get all the luck."

"Sorry for the wait," Sarah quickly told them, finally stopping at their table with a platter of food in her hands. "It's been a madhouse here today."

"No worries," Hinata assured her with a smile. "I totally get it."

Sarah began placing the food and drinks on the table, while she spoke. "So, how is everything going today?"

"Great," Hinata told her. "Sam is getting my ship ready so Riku and I can head back to our galaxy."

"How wonderful!" She smiled, "I am so happy that you are finally going to get home. When are you planning on leaving?"

"I know it's soon, but probably tomorrow morning." Hinata admitted, "Which also means, I won't be working here anymore."

Sarah chuckled, "Yes, I figured as much about the working thing; but wow, tomorrow morning? I'll talk with Doppler, maybe we can have a little good bye party here tonight so everyone can see you before you head off."

"That would be great." Hinata nodded.

"Well that should be everything," Sarah placed the last plate on the table. "If you need anything else, just give me a call."

"Will do!" Sam told her, already digging into her food. As Sarah left the table, Sam asked. "So what are you and Riku going to do after lunch?"

"I'm not sure." Hinata admitted, looking over at Riku.

"Do you need to pack your things?" Riku asked.

"I suppose that's true." She nodded, "Maybe we'll head back to Doc's house and get my stuff ready to go."

"That would work." Sam agreed. "Just make sure not to take too long. After I finish the Drive Core we're going to need Riku to make that dark portal thing so we can make sure it works."

Hinata felt Riku tighten his grip around her shoulder as Sam mentioned him. "Are you worried about making the portal?" She asked him.

"Not worried," He admitted, "It's just, I've never made a Corridor that started and ended in the same place. I didn't even know it was possible. So I'm not exactly sure how I'm supposed to do it."

"We'll figure it out." Hinata assured him, placing her hand on his leg. "You told me before that when you create one of those portals you just imagine where you want to go, right? So maybe you just have to imagine the drive core."

"Maybe," He shrugged, removing his arm around Hinata so he could eat. "I guess we'll find out when we get there."

They continued to talk while they ate. Riku mostly stayed silent unless he was asked a question as Sam and Hinata chatted away about various things. Soon they had finished their meals and were about to pay until Sarah told them lunch was on the house. Thanking her, they all headed out of the Inn, into the cold air outside. The sky was still in a gloomy overcast and threatened what looked like rain.

"It sure is starting to get cold here." Hinata noted, running her hands along her arms.

"Well it is winter now," Sam told her, putting on a navy blue jacket and smiling. "Which means Christmas is coming soon and Jim will be on shore leave!"

Hinata laughed, "Well at least you have something to look forward to then." She looked over at Riku and grabbed his hand. "You ready?"

"Yeah," He smiled back and squeezed her hand.

"We'll see you at the shop in a few hours." Hinata told Sam.

"Sure thing," Sam nodded, waving as she jogged away.

They watched Sam run off before beginning to walk on their own. Hinata began to shiver as they walked, her breath creating small puffs of white smoke from the cold air. Looking over at her, Riku let go of her hand and took off his jacket, wrapping it around her arms. She grabbed it gratefully, but then glanced over at his now bare arms.

"What about you?" She asked him. "You can't tell me you're not cold."

Stretching his arms, he snidely remarked. "Yeah, well maybe I'm just better at handling the cold than you."

Hinata laughed, and nudged him with her shoulder. "Yeah, whatever. Good to see you still have your sarcasm. "

Riku chuckled in response before wrapping his arm around Hinata's shoulder. "Christmas is coming soon, huh?" He asked her.

Nodding, she replied, "Yeah, only about two months away." She sighed in relief. "I was worried I wouldn't be able to spend it with you; but it looks like I don't have to worry about that now."

"Maybe I can convince DiZ to let us put up a Christmas tree or something." He told her.

"Do you remember our first Christmas together?" She asked. "It was right after we started dating."

Riku chuckled, "Yeah, I was so worried about what to get you and all the suggestions Selphie and Kairi gave me didn't really fit you."

Laughing in response, she said. "Yeah, Selphie never really had the best relationship advice. Even though she acted as if she were some love guru." She paused for a moment, before adding. "I liked what you got me though."

"I know," He told her, running his hand along her arm. "But I'll make sure this year's gift is even better."

"You don't have to." She assured him, "Just being able to spend Christmas with you this year would be enough."

Letting out a short breathy laugh, he told her. "Man, you can be sappy sometimes."

She scoffed, "Yeah maybe, but only with you." Her cheeks dusted a light rose as she mumbled, "Does it bother you?"

Riku stopped walking and turned towards Hinata. Placing his hand under her chin, he tilted her face up towards him before leaning down and giving her a kiss. "Not at all." He told her when he pulled away, smiling as he noticed her blushed cheeks. Kissing her quickly on the nose, he noted, "I think it's cute."

Hinata sighed as Riku went back beside her. "There you go calling me cute again."

"Because it's true." He told her, grabbing her hand and beginning to walk again. "You can deny it all you want, but you are."

"Well alright then, I guess I can live with that." She replied, squeezing Riku's hand. They walked in silence for a few minutes before she spoke up again. "Is it weird that even though we were apart for five months, we're right back to where we were before?"

"A little," He admitted, "I had thought that if I ever did find you, you wouldn't want anything to do with me."

She quickly looked over to him, "Really?"

"Well, yeah." He nodded, "After everything I did… especially after what Xehanort made me do to you…" He held out his free hand in front of him and sighed. "Those are pretty good reasons to want nothing to do with me."

Hinata squeezed his hand and looked down at her feet. "When you were going through all of that stuff… I knew something was going on, but I couldn't figure it out. In all honesty, I was just being really naïve and wasn't there for you the way I should have been." Riku opened his mouth to interrupt, but she continued. "By the time I realized you were falling into darkness, you were asking me to leave Hollow Bastion. Even after that I couldn't make myself stop caring about you. I wanted to help but I didn't know how. And then when I came after you when Xehanort was taking you over… I honestly thought that I had lost you." She stopped walking and placed her free hand over her heart. "But then in those last moments you overpowered him and brought me safely back to the gummi ship."

"Yeah, a whole lot of good that did you though." He muttered.

"The point is… after that moment I knew that you were still there. That underneath all of that darkness you had fallen into that the real Riku I knew and fell in love with was still there." She pushed some of her hair behind her ear and looked over at him beside her. "And I knew that if I ever saw you again I was going to tell you how I really felt and I would do everything I could to help you out of the darkness."

Without warning, Riku immediately pulled Hinata into a tight embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her hair. She was stiff at first from the unexpected contact, but soon relaxed in his hold and wrapped her own arms around him. Leaning her head against his chest, she listened to his heartbeat and felt his warmth surround her.

"I don't deserve you." He whispered after several moments of silence.

"Don't say that…" She replied, her own voice barely over a whisper. She pushed away from his hold, just enough so she could see his face and standing on her tip-toes she gave him a kiss. When she pulled away she told him. "I don't think you realize just how amazing you are." Grabbing his hand, she began walking again, "Come on, I really need to get packing."

Riku smiled as he followed her the rest of the way to the home. They came up on the doorsteps and Hinata quickly unlocked the door and led inside. The inside was dimmed as even the fireplace was not lit and everything was quiet.

"I think they all must be out." Hinata commented, closing the door once Riku was inside.

Walking into the study she grabbed a few books, handing Riku a couple to help her carry them upstairs to her room. Riku looked at the titles of the books she gave him and asked, "Are these yours?"

"Yeah," She nodded, balancing the pile she held in her hands. "There's a nice book store in the market place I go to with Doc every once and a while."

"But these don't seem like novels, they're more like text books." He noted.

She shrugged as she led the way upstairs. "Yeah, when I was on Treasure Planet, I saw some different types of guns from the pirates and from Jim. And I guess they just left an impression on me; so I went and bought some books on them and Amelia has been giving me some shooting lessons." She stopped walking mid-step and realized, "I don't have one of my own… maybe I should buy one before we go."

"What about that one you used when we fought the Organization?"

"That wasn't mine, it was Sarah's." She told him, walking again.

"Oh… with how well you handled it, I thought it was yours."

"Well thanks!" She beamed, "I'll have to tell Amelia you said that. She'll be proud." She chuckled as they reached her closed door but then stared at the knob. "Hmm… I'm not sure how to open this." She began trying to balance her pile of books on one arm and started reaching for the doorknob, wobbling to keep the books upright.

Riku stood a few feet away, watching the ordeal with a small smirk on his face. "I can open it." He told her.

"No, no I've got it." She quickly replied. As she began to slightly turn the knob, the books suddenly lost balance and toppled to the floor, making Riku laugh. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." She rolled her eyes as she heard Riku's laughter. She took the opportunity to open the door with her now free hands and then knelt down to pick up the stray books.

Chuckling to himself, Riku dropped off his pile of books on the desk inside before heading back to the hall to help Hinata pick up hers. Together they brought in everything they needed to and Hinata closed the door behind them.

"Thankfully I don't have too much to pack." Hinata noted heading to her dresser to begin going through her clothes.

Riku nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back on the palms of his hands. He watched Hinata take out her outfits and lay them on the comforter beside him; looking over each one. As she pulled out a blue dress, he asked, "A dress? Who blackmailed you into getting that?"

Hinata laughed, "Sam. It was for the reopening of the Benbo Inn. Jim invited her and she wanted to go out and buy dresses for it."

Riku looked it over as she placed it on the bed. "I bet you looked great in it."

"I should actually have a couple pictures." She told him. "They should be in my red journal if you want to see them."

"Yeah," He replied, getting up from the bed and going over to her desk.

He picked up her dark red journal and pulled out two photographs that were sticking out of the pages. One of them was a group picture in front of the Inn and Hinata stood in the blue dress beside Sarah and Amelia. Riku smiled to himself and went to the next picture to see Hinata standing along the wall inside the dining room with a small smile on her face. She wasn't looking at the camera, as if she hadn't known the picture was even being taken. Her hair was in tight red curls and the dress hugged her chest and waist before flaring out around her legs. Riku looked her over but then focused on her face. Her smile was there but her eyes seemed sad, just like the way they were when he found her at the Benbo Inn.

Turning around to face Hinata, he told her, "I was right, you looked great."

Hinata chuckled and looked up at him, "Well thanks. I wish you could have been there. It was quite the party."

"Does this red journal come after that green one I read?" He asked.

"Yeah, I got that one shortly after I moved here." She told him. "Did you finish that green one already?"

Nodding, he told her, "Yeah, this morning I did. Speaking of, there was a drawing on one of the pages that I couldn't tell what it was."

"Oh…" She laughed, "I found something really amazing on Treasure Planet and wanted to make sure I remembered it… but I can't draw worth anything."

Riku smiled and went back to the edge of the bed, the red journal in hand and began reading it while Hinata continued to pack. He read through part of her time on Montressor until the point Hinata had gone to Sam to build a ship. As he turned the page, Hinata sat down beside him on the bed with a sigh.

"Well, I finished packing the clothes." She told him. "Just need to get all of my books and journals put away."

"Can you take a break for a little bit?" He asked her, closing the journal and putting it beside him.

Shrugging, she said, "Yeah, I suppose so. Why?"

Without replying, he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.

Hinata blushed as he pulled away and smiled.

"What is it?" He asked her, noticing her flushed cheeks.

She laughed under her breath, "We've kissed so many times, but you still manage to make me blush every time."

Riku laughed in return, leaning forward for another, more tender kiss. "I think it's cute."

She rolled her eyes once he pulled away, her face warmed. "You just have to remind me of that, don't you?"

"I wouldn't have to if you didn't keep being it." He chuckled.

Shaking her head with a smile, she quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Alright, I need to finish packing."

Reluctantly, Riku let her go and watched as she scurried around the room, packing away her books. He glanced at the desk top and saw a large brown book with gold lettering across the top that read, 'Journey Journal'. Reaching forward, he picked it up and asked, "Is this that book Santa gave you?"

Hinata stopped and looked at the Journal in his hands. "Yeah, how did you know? Oh wait… you read it in my journal."

He nodded, "Yeah, do you mind if I look through it?"

"Go ahead." She told him, getting back to packing. "I haven't looked at it in a while; I wonder if it added any new pictures."

Riku sat back on the edge of the bed and opened the book. He smiled as he went through each page, remembering the places he and Hinata had gone. Then he reached the pictures where Hinata was travelling on her own; one in Atlantica with the mermaid sisters and the other talking with Santa. He looked at Santa sitting in his large chair laughing heartily.

"He looks different than I thought he would." Riku commented.

Hinata chuckled, "Yeah, he was shorter than I imagined."

"What are you wearing?" He asked, looking closer at the picture.

"Oh geez," Her cheeks flushed, "Just turn the page. That dumb magic drive on the gummi ship made me look ridiculous when I went there."

Riku laughed as he turned the page. He looked at the next picture with slight confusion. It was Hinata sitting alone in another gummi ship, but no one was around her. He held up the book and asked, "What were you doing in this picture?"

Hinata stopped and looked over, "You know, I can't quite remember. I feel like I was on Donald and Goofy's gummi ship for a little bit, but I don't know why the Journal would add a picture of it."

"I wonder if Sora is supposed to be in it." He pondered, turning the book around so he could see it.

"Maybe," She shrugged, sitting down beside him since she finished packing.

Riku turned the page to see a breathtaking sight. Hinata stood beside Jack in front of a large meadow blanketed with yellow-green grass that stretched as far as they could see. Across the meadow was a river and towering blue-mountains. He pointed to the page and asked, "Is this what you were trying to draw?"

"Well if I had known it would be in here I wouldn't have even bothered trying to." She sighed, "But yeah."

"Where's your green journal? I want to compare them." He asked.

"No that's alright," She declined, "We've pretty much established I'm an awful artist."

Riku chuckled and kissed her cheek, "You aren't that bad. I'm no good at drawing either."

They went through the rest of the pages, showing Hinata drinking tea with Doppler and Amelia, another showing her filling out paperwork with Sam and James. Then the last photo showed Hinata in the blue dress dancing with James at the reopening of the Benbo Inn.

"Oh that's a nice picture to put in here." Hinata groaned.

"You seem to really be enjoying yourself though." He pointed out. "More than the other pictures I saw of you at that party."

Hinata sighed and examined the picture. She had a large smile on her face and was laughing at something James had said. "That must have been right before I made him mad." She told him.

"What did you say to him?" He asked, looking at her.

Avoiding his gaze she told him, "It's really not important. It's not a moment I like to remember." Grabbing the book from him, she stood up and brought it to her bag. "Alright, everything's packed. We should probably head back to the shop."

Riku eyed her for a moment before sighing and standing up. "I'll carry the book bag for you." He offered.

"No worries!" She told him, "It's one of those bags with wheels." Pulling up a handle she rolled the bag behind her towards the door.

"You got your boots and gloves packed too?" He asked, opening the bedroom door.

"No actually, they are still on the floor over there." She motioned her head to the other side of the bed. "But I want to wear them tomorrow so I kept them out."

"Alright then," He nodded, "Off we go then, I guess."

They headed down the stairs and Riku grabbed the clothing suitcase before opening the front door so they could leave. A slight drizzle had begun to fall from the sky, but not enough to soak through their clothes as they made their way back to the shop. They chatted about various things along the way, making it to the marketplace without trouble. Due to the rain, the market wasn't nearly as busy as before and they were able to make it to the alley without having to run into many people.

"We're back!" Hinata called as they entered the factory.

"Took you long enough!" Sam replied, jogging over from the ship. Coming to a stop when approached them, she crossed her arms. "All that time and you only had to pack two bags? What were you doing?" Her eyes suddenly widening, she waved her hands in front of her and quickly told them, "Wait, never mind, I don't really want to know. I'm just glad you're back."

Both Riku and Hinata's cheeks blushed as Sam spoke and they stood there awkwardly for a moment before Hinata cleared her throat. "So… How is the drive coming along?"

Sam perked up and told her, "Great! It's pretty much done. I had Ben help me and a few other workers put it down in the lower decks of the ship near the cannons so it won't get in the way of the living area. All that needs to be done now is to take her out for a test drive." She turned to Riku, "Are you ready to try making that portal thing?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." He nodded.

"Let's get my stuff on board." Hinata told him. As they walked towards the ship, she asked Sam. "Where are we going to test drive to?"

"I was thinking the Montressor Space Port." Sam told her. "It's far enough away to test the engines but also close enough where we could get back in a good time if the Drive doesn't work right."

"Sounds good." Hinata agreed. "Is James coming along?"

"I haven't seen him at all today." Sam admitted before sighing. "I think he's sulking in his room."

"Can I invite him?" She asked, glancing at Riku to see his reaction.

Riku looked over at Hinata, his expression hard to read at first; but then he nodded. "If you really want to. Just make sure he doesn't try anything."

Hinata smiled and leaned up on her toes, to kiss Riku on his cheek. "Thank you," She told him.

Sam reached over and grabbed the handle of the bag from Hinata. "I'll take this to The Highwind with Riku. You can go get James if you want. Just take the door at the far end of the factory and our room is the first door in the hall. You'll know what I mean when you see it."

"Alright, thanks." She nodded, looking over at Riku she told him, "I'll be right back."

Riku looked unsure but strained a smile as she ran off. She jogged past the ship and went towards a door in the back of the shop, slowing to a stop once she approached it. Reaching towards the knob, her heart suddenly began to race, but she didn't quite understand why.

"I've never been in their actual home before." She whispered to herself. "I hope I'm not intruding."

Taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped into a living room. The room itself was mostly bare; with a rug in the center of the room under a couch and an old television placed on a coffee table against the wall. The walls were scattered with various sized picture frames but Hinata wasn't able to make any of them out as everything seemed to have a thick layer of dust. She bit back a cough from the musty air and looked for the hallway Sam had mentioned. There was a door on one side of the room and on the other was a long hallway. Hinata glanced at the door by itself but didn't want to stick her nose where it didn't belong; so instead she walked towards the hall and stopped in front of the first door. Raising her hand, she lightly knocked on the door and heard someone rustling around inside. Within seconds a shirtless James opened the door and looked in confusion at Hinata standing in front of him.

"Um… hi?" He finally spoke up. "What are you doing back here?"

Clearing her throat, Hinata avoided looking at him and pointed behind her, "Oh, uh, Sam told me I could find you here and I wanted to invite you to come along to test drive The Highwind."

"The what?" He asked, leaning against the door frame.

"My ship," She clarified, "That's what I named it."

"Is Riku going?" He asked.

"Well, yeah, of course he is." She admitted.

"I think I'll stay here." He told her.

"Oh, come on James!" She pleaded, finally looking up at him. "I know you two don't get along that well, but I'm leaving tomorrow morning and I would really like to spend some time with you before I go. Plus, what other time are you going to be able to ride my ship?"

James sighed and crossed his arms, thinking it over. After a few seconds he resigned, "Fine, I'll go. Just let me get a shirt." He stepped back and fully opened the door so Hinata could come in.

Hinata entered the room behind him and looked around. There were two small beds, one on either side of the room as well as two wooden desks. Hinata sat in a chair in front of one of the desks and glanced at the collection of model ships on display on shelves around one half of the room. On top of the tabletop she sat at, was a partially built ship that looked like a model of the RLS Legacy.

"Is this Sam's side?" She asked, glancing at James as he dug through his wardrobe.

James paused momentarily and stood up straight, looking at where Hinata was sitting. With a chuckle he told her, "Nope, it's mine. I put model ships together, I know it's weird."

Hinata leaned forward and examined the tiny pieces of the ship. "It's not weird," She told him, picking up a small replica of one of the plasma cannons that still had to be put on the model. "It's actually sort of cool. I had no idea you were into this stuff." Placing the piece back on the table she asked. "Is this what you've been doing all day?"

Finally finding a shirt and pulling it on, he nodded, "Yeah, it's something I like to do to relax."

"I don't know how you do it," She told him. "I would never have the endurance. Too many pieces, like a puzzle."

He chuckled as he walked to Hinata and commented, "Well, I can be pretty patient. Plus, once I get into the mode of building it, it comes pretty easy."

"When did you start this one?" She asked, standing from her seat. "It looks like the Legacy."

"That's because it is," He told her, "And I started it this morning."

"This morning?" She repeated, looking at the model. "But it's more than half-way done!"

"I told you it comes easy to me now!" He laughed.

"I'm surprised you aren't more involved in building the actual ships in the shop." She told him turning around.

James opened the bedroom door and shrugged, "Yeah, but I know how the hull and decks go together; I don't know the first thing about the mechanics of what makes it work."

"I bet you could learn." Hinata assured him, following him out of the room.

"Maybe," He shrugged, "But I don't mind handling the customers and the paperwork." Looking around the living room, he apologized. "Uh… sorry you had to see the mess in the living room. Mom always tells me and Sam to focus on keeping the shop clean and she'll take care of the house… but she doesn't leave her room very often."

"No it's fine." Hinata assured him. "I hope I wasn't intruding coming in here."

"Nah, if Sam told you you could, then it's fine." He smiled at her and was about to open the door to the shop, but asked. "This is going to sound weird, but can I hug you?"

Hinata gave him a look and asked. "Um… why?"

"I have a feeling Riku won't exactly let me hug you any other time today. And I would like to give you a proper goodbye rather than being scared that your boyfriend will try to kill me." He explained.

With a laugh, Hinata nodded, "Sounds fair, but I do think Riku would let you at least hug me to say goodbye."

"I don't know," He told her. "With the way he reacted with me just talking to you earlier I don't think he wants me anywhere near you."

"Well, he let me invite you to come along on the ship today." She pointed out, before smiling, "But if it would make you feel better, yes, you can hug me." She chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck, "Weird giving permission to hug."

James laughed as he wrapped his arms around Hinata and hugged her tightly. "No, I really appreciate it." He held her for a moment before admitting, "I'm really going to miss you."

Hinata hugged him back but remained silent, unsure of what to say. Soon she pulled away to break their embrace, but she noticed James eyeing her as if there was something on his mind. "What?" She asked.

"It's just…" He started. "If the border had never gone down and Riku never came back… would you have eventually gone out with me?"

"Don't make this awkward." Hinata groaned.

"No, really," He defended, "I just… before you leave, I'd really like to know."

Crossing her arms, she sighed and averted her gaze. "If I was stuck on Montressor for a long time, like more than a year or two… then yeah… I probably would have at least gone on a date with you."

"Really?" He asked, a smile appearing on his face.

"You would have had to wait a really long time though." She told him, reaching forward to open the door back to the shop.

James smirked, "Yeah, well like I said before, I can be patient."

Hinata rolled her eyes as they entered the shop and walked towards The Highwind. They walked onto the deck of the ship and could hear the murmur of voices below deck.

"Have you looked through all the rooms yet?" James asked as they walked down the stairs.

"Not all of them." She admitted, "There was one room that took Sam a lot longer to finish than the other ones and I haven't looked in that one yet… why?"

"Just curious," He shrugged with a smirk.

They went down the second set of stairs towards the area of the plasma cannons as well as the FTL Drive Core. Riku stood in front of the Core beside Sam and Ben while Jack floated towards Hinata to greet her. The Core itself was a round clear chamber with five boxy computers around the base; with multiple metal pipes running up and down the entire thing as well as metal coils around the top.

"Look who decided to grace us with his presence!" Sam spoke up, turning around as she noticed James and Hinata entering the room.

James rolled his eyes and admitted, "Yeah, yeah, Hinata convinced me to come along."

Ben's eyes brightened when he saw them, "Oh welcome! Did you come to see the Drive Core I invented?"

"I keep telling you Ben, it wasn't you!" Sam crossed her arms.

Hinata smiled before heading over to Riku. "Have you tried making the Corridor yet?"

He looked away from James and back to Hinata before shaking his head, "Not yet. We wanted to wait until you were back. You took a while."

"Yeah… we got caught up talking." She admitted. "I found out he makes model ships."

"Cool, I guess." He shrugged before asking quietly. "He didn't try anything, did he?"

She shook her head, "No, we really just talked."

"Alright Riku," Sam interrupted their conversation. "Let's try starting it up."

"Alright," He nodded, holding out his hand.

"What is he going to do?" James asked, before being shushed by Sam.

Riku closed his eyes and concentrated. He outstretched his hand, trying to control where the darkness would go. Inside the clear chamber a single Corridor appeared out of the ground and then one sprouted right in front of Riku. He opened his eyes and sighed; clenching his hand closed and making both portals disappear.

"What was that?" James asked. "That looked like what that Organization guy did."

Hinata was about to explain when Sam spoke up first, "It's a dark magic portal that quickly takes you from one place to the next, now shush!"

"I'm going to try again." Riku told them, closing his eyes once again.

The first portal appeared inside the chamber again and mere centimeters away from it the second one sprouted up; however something about it seemed to flicker as if it wasn't completely there. Riku's hand began to tremble and the portal disappeared completely. With a grumble he placed his arm back down on his side.

"I can't make the connection." He admitted with frustration clear in his voice.

"It's like the darkness knows the Corridors are too close together and won't let you create them." Hinata contemplated, walking beside Riku. "DiZ did say it would require a lot of concentration. The Corridor was there, it was just flickering." She thought for a moment, before asking, "Would it help you concentrate if we went to another room?"

"It might," He nodded, "I wouldn't mind you in here though."

Hinata smiled and turned towards the others. "Riku really needs to concentrate for this, could you guys go to the deck for right now?"

"Sure thing!" Sam nodded, grabbing her brother's arm and dragging him upstairs with her. Jack and Ben followed closely behind.

Once they were gone, Hinata leaned up and kissed Riku on the cheek, "You can do this." She encouraged him.

"Thanks." He smiled at her before closing his eyes and trying again.

His eyes were closed tightly and he held out his hand. Nothing happened for several seconds and his hand began to slightly shake; but then suddenly the first portal appeared directly in the middle of the chamber. Right in the center of it the second one grew from the ground. The moment it appeared the computers surrounding the bottom of the chamber immediately lit up with bright screens and electricity began sparking through the wires. Riku let out a breath and stumbled a couple steps forward, letting go of the power but the portals remained in the chamber.

"That was amazing!" Hinata beamed, reaching forward to help him balance. "You did it!"

"Yeah," He smiled and leaned on her for support for a moment before standing back up straight.

"We better head up to the deck, to let them know we did it. Do you need to rest?"

"I should be fine. I'll just grab some water from the kitchen." He replied.

"Alright, I'll see you up there." She told him, running up the stairs towards the deck.

She came up the steps to see Sam opening up large factory doors that led outside. The trench in the center of the shop went all the way outdoors so the ship could easily take flight. Hinata walked up beside James and leaned her hands along the railing.

"Can you believe we're actually going to fly her?" She asked. "Just a few months ago she was just an idea I had."

"Yeah, it's awesome." He agreed, "I'd like to have a model of The Highwind someday."

"Ooh, that would be cool." She nodded. "I'd love to see that."

"Maybe I'll make one." He told her, leaning his back against the railing.

"Did he do it?" Sam asked, running onto the deck.

"Yeah," Hinata nodded with a smile. "We should be all ready to go."

"Hell yeah!" Sam pumped her fist in the air excitedly. "Let's take The Highwind out for a test drive!"

Hinata laughed as Sam ran up to the navigational system with Ben, getting everything ready to go. She noticed Riku walking onto the deck and left her place beside James to see him. "How are you feeling?" She asked him.

"I'm fine," He assured her. "Much easier to recover from than trying to make Corridors to worlds that are out of range."

"Was Montressor out of range?" She asked.

"Yeah," He nodded, "I had to stop at four different worlds to get here from Twilight Town."

"Wow…" She mumbled, grabbing his hand. "Thank you for coming. Even if you didn't know it was for me."

Riku smiled, "Of course. This is the best mission I've ever been on."

Hinata laughed in response and led Riku towards the ship's railing. "Wait until we get to space with this thing. The view is so much better than the gummi ship!"

"I remember being on Hook's ship travelling through space, it was amazing." He told her, leaning his arms against the railing. "I had wished you had been there with me so we could look out at all the stars together."

"Really?" She asked, leaning beside him. "Well now we have our very own ship to do that."

"I guess you're right." He smiled, lightly nudging her with his shoulder.

"Alright, we are ready for takeoff!" Sam called from the wheel. "Hinata, did you want to come over here to drive it?"

"Maybe it would be better if Ben did it?" Hinata offered, reluctantly walking over to Sam.

"Oh come on! Let's make good use of those lessons!" Sam told her.

Riku chuckled as Hinata walked away and watched her as she tried to work the navigational system. Her eyes were focused but her facial features were so unsure of themselves. Ben and Sam stood beside her giving her encouragement and instruction and with the touch of the right button, the ship became alive. The solar sails of the ship lit up a bright gold, automatically filling out as if there was strong wind. A loud whir filled the air as the engines sputtered up and soon were blowing into full power, their sound decreasing drastically into a soft mechanical buzz. Hinata glanced up towards Riku from the controls and he smiled at her when their gazes met. Her cheeks flushed and she smiled back before looking back at the navigation to begin lifting the ship off of the ground.

"Artificial gravity, engaged." Ben reported, pressing various on a control board beside Hinata. "We should be able to reach space in less than five minutes."

"Alright," Hinata nodded, obviously still nervous. "Full speed ahead I guess."

Pulling down on a lever beside her, The Highwind began to move forward towards the outdoors. The moment they were free of the shop, Hinata pressed a few buttons on the control board and the ship began to rise off of the ground going straight up into the sky.

"This is crazy," Hinata whispered to herself, "I'm actually flying a ship."

"Isn't it great?" Sam nudged her. "Trust me, the thrill of it is addicting!"

Turning the large wheel as they got farther into the sky, Hinata then grabbed the lever she had pulled earlier and moved it into a different gear, causing the ship to change course and head straight for space. Just as Ben had predicted, they reached the outer atmosphere within the next five minutes. Once they were among the stars, Hinata leveled the ship to a slow movement and let out a breath.

"That's enough flying for me today." She said, backing away from the wheel.

"What, already?" Sam complained. "But you weren't even flying for more than ten minutes!"

"Just… a little bit at a time, alright?" She defended.

"That's just fine Captain Hinata!" Ben exclaimed taking the wheel, "I can take over from here."

"Thanks Ben," Hinata smiled, "But you really don't have to call me captain." She turned towards Sam and asked, "So how do we try out the Drive Core?"

Sam motioned her hand towards the galaxy map on the control board. It was a large black screen with different clusters of planets scattered across it. "This is the galaxy we're in now," She explained to Hinata. "That DiZ guy sent over the map of your galaxy too, but I'll show you that later. For now, all you need to do, supposedly, is press the planet you want to go to and then press this button to activate the Drive." She pointed to a blue button above the galaxy map.

"That's… surprisingly simple." Hinata crossed her arms.

"Yeah, well that's what were on the schematic plans." Sam told her. "But let's see if it actually works."

"Alright then, you said we're going to try going to the Space Port, right?" She asked, spotting the crescent shaped planet on the map. When Sam nodded she pressed the small icon on the screen and then reached up towards the blue button. Right before pressing it, she asked. "Should we be holding on to something? I mean, will we feel the ship going that fast?"

"I…I don't know." Sam admitted slightly ashamed. "I wish I could tell you, but I don't have any experience with this FTL Drive. I can at least tell you that the artificial gravity will keep us on the ship."

Hinata glanced up at Riku and James, and then nodded, "Alright, here it goes." Taking a deep breath, she pressed down on the button and with a sudden jolt all the stars around them suddenly turned into streaks and before they could fathom what was happening, they came to a halt in front of a large crescent shaped planet.

"I didn't even feel us moving." Hinata noted, looking around.

"No way!" Sam exclaimed, "We are seriously at the Montressor Space Port?! In less than five seconds!?" She ran over to James and excitedly talked, "James, could you imagine all the possibilities with this technology? We could travel from one end of this galaxy to the other within a day! Forget that dumb portal thing Captain Flint had!"

"Yeah, except we don't have Mr. Dark Portals to help us with it." James pointed out.

"Maybe we can find some sort of material here to compensate." Sam pondered, getting lost in thought, before rushing back to Hinata and excitedly talking about what had just happened.

While the girls chatted and Jack floated around the ship, James walked over to Riku and leaned against the railing to look out at the stars. "You know, when I asked you yesterday what was so special about you, you said nothing." He glanced over at Riku. "That dark portal thing you pulled off below deck was pretty damn special."

Riku let out a short laugh, "Yeah, well it's caused me more harm than good."

"Is it the reason you have that cloth over your eyes?" James asked.

"Yeah…" He replied, crossing his arms. He and James stood in silence for a moment, before Riku spoke up. "I should… apologize about before. I was frustrated about something and taking it out on you."

James looked over at him in surprise and said, "I wasn't expecting an apology… but uh, thanks I guess."

"I still don't like the way you treated Hinata when she kept telling you to back off." He told him, his voice firm. "But I know she thinks of you as a friend and I need to respect that."

"It's not like you were around then." James started.

"Don't push it…" Riku warned him.

"Yeah, you're right, sorry." He said quickly, looking back towards the large Space Port in front of them.

Ben had the ship slowly orbiting the planet from space while the crew enjoyed the view and the success of the Drive. Riku and James stood in silence for a few minutes, until Riku broke the silence.

"I don't mean to bring up bad memories, but at that party at the Inn…" He began.

"You mean the night she decked me?" James interrupted.

"What did she say to you that got you mad?" He asked.

James sighed and pressed his hands against the railing. "It was dumb on my part to get mad about it… but I had convinced her to dance with me and I could tell she was nervous; so I started making jokes and telling her to relax. And I guess she relaxed a little too much, because I said something that made her laugh and she called me… well your name."

"She called you Riku?" He clarified.

James nodded, "Yeah… and for some reason it really hurt. I guess I felt like she was pretending I was you or something; which I know is dumb. I probably just said something that reminded her of you; but rather than brush it off… I sort of started yelling at her about it."

"In the middle of the dance?" He asked, tightening his hands around the railing. "No wonder she hit you."

"Heh, yeah, I get that a lot." James agreed. "It's not a night I like to remember; but damn, that night she looked…" His voice stopped mid-sentence as he remembered who he was talking to. "I mean, uh… nothing, never mind."

Riku shook his head and resisted the urge to punch James himself until Hinata came up to them. She grabbed Riku's arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. James strained a smile at the couple before turning around and heading away to talk with Sam.

Once he was out of earshot, Riku quietly told Hinata, "I really don't like that guy."

She ran her hand along his arm and nodded, "I know, but I really appreciate you smoothing things out with him."

"Of course," He told her, kissing her temple. Looking back at the stars, he commented, "This is amazing."

"Isn't it?" She asked. "I can't believe we're actually going to be flying this from now on."

"Good job on flying, by the way." Riku told her, moving his arm so he could wrap it around her shoulder. "You were impressive."

Hinata giggled, "Thank you. I was really nervous."

"I know, but you did a good job." He assured her.

"You about ready to head back to Montressor?" Sam asked, calling from the navigation.

Riku glanced down at Hinata and they both nodded. "Yeah, we're ready!" Hinata called back.

Sam pressed a few buttons on the control board and within seconds they were back at Montressor. Ben did the maneuvering and flying to get back into the atmosphere and inside the shop. Once they were landed safely, Ben turned off the artificial gravity and finally left his post at the navigation.

"Wasn't that great?" He exclaimed running over to Hinata. "To feel the wind in the sails again was almost invigorating! Or as invigorating as it can be for a robot."

Hinata chuckled, "It was pretty amazing. I'm really glad we have you to help with the navigating. We're going to need it with all the flying we're going to be doing."

"Yes Ma'am!" He saluted, "Oh but look at the time!" He looked at a nonexistent watch on his arm, "We need to be heading over to the Benbo Inn for the goodbye party!"

"Really?" Hinata asked. "When did that get planned? I mean, Sarah never told me the time of it."

Ben laughed and waved her off, "Oh, Sarah told me after I finished telling Sam my brilliant idea for the Drive Core."

"Ben, if I have to tell you one more time that it wasn't yours…" Sam started.

"Then we should probably get going." Hinata interrupted, looking over at Riku. "Is that alright?"

He nodded and grabbed her hand, "Yeah its fine. We'll be able to relax on the ride to Twilight Town tomorrow."

"We should look at the other rooms on the ship first." James spoke up.

"Why?" Hinata asked, "We could do that tomorrow before we go, couldn't we?"

"Yeah, but you'll be leaving really early and might not see… everything?" He tried to argue.

"Yeah, actually," Sam joined in, "You haven't seen the newest bedroom yet. Just pop in to see it and then we can all head to the party."

Hinata eyed the two of them for a moment, before resigning, "Alright fine, I'll look at the other rooms."

Sam and James excitedly went below deck as Hinata and Riku followed behind. Hinata walked past the table in the center of the living area and approached the first door, opening it to reveal a regular bedroom. She glanced inside it and looked back at Sam and James; not sure why they were insisting on her checking the rooms.

"Well… uh, there's a bedroom." She told Riku, "Bed, dresser, desk… the usual." Keeping the door open she walked to the next room down the hall and as she opened it, she said, "And here is the same exact thing…" She turned and looked inside the room and her mouth gaped open.

Instead of the regular bedroom she had expected, the entire area looked like a dojo. Along one of the walls were racks filled with different weapons, some of them real and sharp while others made for practice. A large sparring mat was laid across the wooden floor in the center of the well-lit room.

Hinata entered the room stammering, "When did this… how did you…" She turned around and saw Sam and James beaming.

"Surprise!" Sam chimed

"What gave you guys the idea to do this?" Hinata asked, finally finding her voice as she still looked around.

"It was James's idea initially." Sam told her.

"Well, you always talked about the sparring you used to do back on the island and then you went for hand-to-hand training with Amelia every day; so I thought you would like a sparring room on your ship." James explained.

"And so he pitched the idea to me and I loved it!" Sam added. "We were going to tell you about it, but it just seemed like it would be more fun as a surprise." She watched Hinata for a moment before asking, "So… what do you think?"

"I… I love it…" She smiled. "This is amazing. I don't know why I didn't think to add this to the ship initially." She turned and ran towards Sam and James, pulling them into a group hug, "Thank you guys so much!"

Riku stepped aside and watched as Hinata hugged her friends, slightly unnerved that James had put the entire thing together for her; but he shrugged it off for Hinata's sake.

"Alright, now we really should head to the party now!" Ben called down the stairs. "What if they start eating the cake without us?"

Hinata pulled away from the hug, her eyes teary, "I'm really going to miss you guys." She told them, her eyes averted.

Riku's heart sunk as the words left her mouth while Sam hugged her friend.

"I'm going to miss you too; but we'll see you again!" Sam told her, her own eyes teary.

James looked like he wanted to hug Hinata as well, but he glanced over at Riku and turned around to head up the stairs after Ben. Wiping the corners of her eyes, Sam broke the hug with Hinata and followed James out of the room.

When they were gone, Riku went over to Hinata and grabbed her hand. "You don't have to leave." He told her. "If you want to stay, I'm sure I can figure something out to protect you."

Hinata looked up at Riku, "What? No, I definitely want to go with you. It's what I've been dreaming and hoping for as long as I've been here."

"I know… but there's a good chance you won't see these people again." He told her. "And I can tell that they mean a lot to you."

"They do…" She admitted, "But so do you and Kairi. I belong in our galaxy and there is too much unfinished business there for me to just leave it."

"You guys aren't making out down there, are you?" Sam called down.

Hinata's cheeks flushed, "No! We'll be right up!" She turned to Riku and grabbed the tassels on his black jacket, pulling him down to her level for a kiss. "I wish we were though." She told him quietly with a smirk.

Riku smirked and placed his hand under her chin. "We could be." He told her, kissing her as the words left his mouth.

With a giggle, Hinata turned her head to make Riku stop kissing her and laughed, "No we can't, we have to get up there!"

"You're no fun." He sighed, straightening back up and grabbing Hinata's hand, while trying to hide the smile on his face.

They walked up the stairs to the deck and walked with everyone to the Benbo Inn. The sun was just beginning to set and the ground was moist from the rain that day. They talked the entire way, while Ben and Jack ran off ahead. They reached the Inn just as Sarah was beginning to hand out cake and Ben scrambled inside before everyone else. Doppler and Amelia happily greeted Hinata as she walked in, their four children crawling around the Inn. Everyone ate the cake while chatting and enjoying Hinata's company one last time before she left the next day. They stayed at the Inn late into the night, to the point where Hinata was barely able to keep her eyes open and all four of the children were fast asleep in Sarah's arms.

"I suppose we should call it a night." Amelia spoke up, noticing Hinata beginning to fall asleep on Riku's shoulder. "It is rather late."

Everyone reluctantly agreed and Doppler got up from his seat to retrieve his children from Sarah. Riku lightly shook Hinata's shoulder telling her it was time to go. She sleepily opened her eyes and got up from the booth.

"Thank you for putting this together." Hinata told Sarah, trying to seem awake.

Sarah pulled her into a short hug, "Of course. You've been such a sweetheart working so hard at the Inn and being a friend to Jim. We're going to miss you here."

"I'm going to miss it too." She admitted, holding back a yawn.

"I'll get the carriage ready." Doppler told them, as he went outside with Amelia and his children.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow before you leave, right?" James asked, walking up to Hinata and placing his hand on her shoulder.

Too tired to care who was touching her, she nodded, "Yeah, we'll try to be there before you open the shop for the day. So make sure you're up early tomorrow."

He smiled at her and chuckled, "I don't think I've ever seen you this tired before." He was about to hug her, but noticed Riku walking up beside her and quickly removed his hand from her shoulder.

Yawning, she admitted, "Yeah, for some reason whenever Riku is around I get tired a lot easier."

"What do you do to tire her out so much?" James asked, looking up at Riku before shaking his head. "You know, I probably don't want to know the answer to that."

Hinata scoffed, "No, no it's nothing like that… I think I'm just relaxed around him."

"You aren't relaxed around me?" He asked, feeling the glare Riku was giving him.

"Oh please," Hinata chuckled, "Relaxed is definitely not the word I would use around you."

"Ouch," James winced, but still smiled. "What word would you use then?"

"I don't know. I'm too tired to think right now." She waved him off. "Ask me tomorrow."

"Alright then I will." He nodded, giving a nod at Riku before turning around and leaving the Inn.

Sam ran up and tackled hugged Hinata, almost causing her to lose her footing. "I'm going to miss you so much!"

Hinata laughed, "I'm going to miss you too; but I'll see you tomorrow."

"I know," She admitted pulling away, "But I wanted to hug you anyways."

Hinata and Riku followed Sam out of the Inn while Ben stayed inside to help Sarah in cleaning the dining room. Jack floated up to them when they came outside, his tail low and he landed on Hinata's shoulder with a yawn.

"You're tired too, huh?" Hinata asked him, patting his head. "I feel like I've barely seen you today; we're you visiting everyone?"

Jack nodded and gave a small lick to her cheek, making Hinata giggle.

"See you tomorrow!" Sam called, waving her hand as she walked away with James.

Hinata raised her hand and smiled as the siblings disappeared into the night. She looked over at Riku and smiled up at him and he wrapped his arm around the back of her waist while they waited for the carriage to be ready. They climbed inside the cart once Doppler told them it was ready and it was if the night before was in replay. Hinata leaned against Riku and fell asleep on his shoulder and by the time they reached the home, Riku picked her up and carried her inside; while Jack slowly floated behind.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of Hinata." Riku quietly told Doppler and Amelia as they entered the house. "I'm glad she had someone like you looking after her."

Amelia smiled, "We were happy to. She's been a joy to have here."

"Yes quite," Doppler agreed. "She's always been enjoyable company and we were glad to welcome her into our home. We are most definitely going to miss her."

Readjusting Hinata in his arms, he told them, "Well, thanks. We'll see you tomorrow morning. I'll try to make sure she's up so she can have tea with you guys."

"We look forward to it." Amelia replied. "Sleep well."

Riku nodded and carefully walked up the stairs, keeping Hinata balanced in his arms. He reached the bedroom and placed her on top of the comforter. Looking her over he smiled and then turned around to change into his pajamas. He took off his shirt and pulled on his flannel pants before climbing onto the bed beside Hinata; quickly falling asleep beside her. The morning rays of the sun awoke him as they did the morning before and he found Hinata cuddled up beside him. He ran his hand along her arm and kissed her forehead, causing her to stir. She sighed as she half opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Riku beside her.

"Good morning," She whispered.

"Good morning," He replied, pushing a few strands of hair out of her face, before leaning over and kissing her. "Did you sleep well?"

Nodding, she answered, "Yes, I'm surprised I slept without taking any of my pills."

"Maybe you don't need them anymore." He offered, kissing her cheek.

"Maybe…" She replied, leaning into Riku's touch as he placed his hand along her face. "You're really cuddly this morning." She noted.

"That tends to happen when I wake up next to someone as beautiful as you." He told her, kissing her again.

When he pulled away and began kissing her face, Hinata asked, "And how often do you wake up to that?"

"Only when I've been lucky enough to have you sleep in the same bed with me" He admitted, pulling away to see her face.

"Are you always this affectionate?" She teased, with a giggle, leaning forward and giving him a kiss.

"Only with you." He told her, with a smile, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her more passionately.

A knock on the door, caused them to pull apart as Doppler voice was heard through the door. "I just wanted to let you know that Amelia and I are about to sit down for tea. Since you're both leaving today, we wanted to make sure you had the chance to come down."

"Thank you," Hinata spoke up, sitting up on the bed, "We'll be right there."

She looked to Riku as he also sat up and asked, "You ready to head back to Twilight Town?"

He nodded, "Yeah, there's a whole lot waiting for us." He looked at her, "Are you sure you're going to be up for it? We'll be busy pretty much every day."

She reached over and grabbed his hand, "As long as I'm with you, I don't care what we do."

He looked at her for a moment before giving her a small smile. Hinata opened her mouth to ask why he was smiling; but before any words came out of her mouth, Riku leaned forward and kissed her.

He was about to kiss her again, but Hinata placed her hand in front of his lips, "If we don't get down there soon, they are going to drink the tea without us." She removed her hand and kissed him quickly, "We'll have time on the ride back to Twilight Town."

"Alright," He resigned, getting up from the bed and putting on a shirt. "Let's get going."

Hinata stood up and agreed, "Yeah."

They left the bedroom together and headed downstairs to enjoy their last morning in Montressor.


	13. The Long Journey

Chapter 13

The fireplace was already lit as Riku and Hinata walked down the stairs into the study. Amelia sat in her armchair, holding a steaming cup of tea and smiled up at the couple as they entered the room.

Placing her cup on a small table beside her, she stood up and hugged Hinata, "Good morning, Hinata." Pulling away from the hug, but keeping her hands on her shoulders, she asked, "Are you ready to head home?"

Hinata smiled and nodded, "Yes, I can barely believe it's finally happening."

"Neither can we," Doppler told her, walking into the study holding a fresh cup of tea in each of his hands. He gave a cup to Riku and Hinata, telling them, "We couldn't be happier that you two are reunited. After all those months of waiting and wondering; it sets my heart at ease to see everything worked out."

"Thank you." Hinata told him, before glancing over at Riku and smiling. "I feel the same way."

Riku smiled back and led Hinata to the couch; where they sat and enjoyed their last morning tea with Doppler and Amelia. Hinata mostly stayed silent as the others asked Riku different questions about where he was taking Hinata. She looked down at her tea, thinking over everything that was about to happen; barely noticing when Riku lightly nudged her shoulder.

"Huh?" She looked up at him, just then realizing that it was just the two of them in the study.

"Are you ever going to drink your tea?" he asked her.

Hinata looked down at her still full cup that was now cold to the touch. Blinking her eyes, she shook her head, "Oh, uh, sorry… wasn't in the mood for tea this morning, I guess."

He eyed her for a moment before standing up from the couch and grabbing the cup from her hands. "Well come on then, we need to get ready."

Reluctantly standing from her seat, she nodded, "Yeah, let's go." She grabbed the cup back from Riku and brought it to the kitchen to rinse it out. As Riku walked up beside her while she washed, she asked, "Where did Doc and Amelia go?"

"They're just getting ready in their room before getting their kids up." He told her, looking as if there was something on his mind. Hinata turned off the sink and turned around to leave the room, but he grabbed her arm. "Hinata, what's wrong?"

"It's… it's nothing." She told him, avoiding his gaze.

"It's not nothing," He pointed out. "You are usually the one doing all the talking but today you barely said anything."

With a sigh, she resigned, "I guess it's just a little hard to believe I'm leaving today. I mean… like you said last night; what if I never come back here? Is this the last time I'll see everyone?"

Riku loosened his grip on her arm. "Well… no, I don't think so. The border will go back up eventually but that won't happen until we wake Sora up; so until then we can come back here for occasional visits." Turning her towards him, he assured her, "This won't be the last time you see everyone." When Hinata reluctantly nodded, he held out his hand for her, "Now come on, we need to get ready."

Hinata smiled and grabbed his hand, walking with him up the stairs. As they reached the bedroom she opened the door and laughed softly under her breath.

"What is it?" Riku asked her, walking into the room behind her.

"I was just thinking," She started, walking further into the room with her hands clasped behind her back. "Ever since we first started dating you've been slowly starting to show me a different side of you. You're a long way away from that sarcastic boy I met on the island."

Riku laughed, "Yeah, well he's still there." He walked forward and placed his hands on the side of her waist. "This side of me is something I only show when we're alone together. You have the habit of bringing it out of me."

"Well I love it." She told him, placing her hands behind his neck.

"Me too." He nodded, leaning down and kissing her. Wrapping his arms around her back, he pulled her closer, letting the kiss become more passionate.

"Hinata, I was wondering if…. Oh!" Doppler walked into the room, startled when he saw them kissing.

Riku and Hinata instantly pulled apart and turned away from each other. Hinata cleared her throat and pushed some of her hair behind her ear, stammering, "U-uh yes, Doc?"

"Pardon the interruption," Doppler told them, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "I was just wondering if Riku would like to have any more clothes to bring along on your journey. I have about three more outfits from Sarah's ex-husband still here."

"Oh, uh, sure." Riku turned around and agreed. "If it wouldn't be any trouble."

"None at all," Doppler assured him. "Sarah had me keep a few of her husband's things here after he left in case he ever returned; but at this point I think it would be put to a better use in your care."

"Thanks." Riku nodded, "I appreciate it."

"Yes well, I'll make sure to grab them and will place them in the study downstairs." He smiled and then turned to leave, "I'll let you get back to it then."

Hinata's cheeks flushed as she planted her face in her hands. "Of all the people to walk in on us kissing…" She mumbled once Doppler was out of earshot.

Riku chuckled, "Just be glad it wasn't James."

"I suppose that's true." She agreed, lifting her face. She sighed and turned towards her wardrobe, opening it and grabbing the only outfit inside. "I'm going to go get changed really quick, I'll be right back."

"Alright," He nodded, watching her as she left the room.

Once she was gone, Riku closed the bedroom door and began changing himself. He took off the pajamas and put on the black Organization coat over tall boots and black pants. As he zipped up the jacket he walked around the room to make sure they weren't going to forget anything when they left. Hinata's boots and gauntlets were still on the floor on the side of the bed and on the bedside table were the bottle of her sleeping pills and the small container of the berries. Riku sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the plastic container. He had read about them in Hinata's journal, the fruit that gave her hallucinations of him. Tipping the container different directions, he watched the somehow still fresh fruit roll back and forth. He glanced towards the door when he heard it open and held up the container for Hinata to see.

"Why do you still have these?" He asked her as she entered the room.

Hinata placed her pile of dirty clothes on the bed and looked at the container in Riku's hand. Fidgeting her hands uncomfortably in front of her, she walked over and grabbed the berries from him. "I'm not sure… honestly." She admitted, "I didn't know how long I would be here and I wasn't sure if I would ever see you again… and I guess… I wanted to have a way to talk with you."

"Even if it wasn't really me?" He asked.

She sat down beside him, looking down at the fruit in her hands and nodded, "It's crazy… I know. I shouldn't have kept any of them."

"No… I get it." He assured her, "But you're right, you shouldn't have kept any of them. Who knows what this stuff does to your head? You've had these things for months and they still look brand new."

"Yeah," She nodded, standing up, "I'll throw them out and let that be the end of them."

"Good," He agreed standing up as well. "Wouldn't want you eating them and then thinking there are suddenly two of me."

Hinata smirked, "I don't know, I could think of a couple situations where I might not mind that."

He chuckled in response, "Well back at Castle Oblivion there was a replica made of me." He told her, "So I guess it's still possible."

"A replica of you?" She asked, "How did that happen?"

"This Organization member got some data off me and created a clone of me to mess with Sora… and with me." He told her.

Hinata thought about it for a moment, "Did the member that made the clone have long blonde hair and an unsettling smile?"

Riku gave her a confused look, "Uh… yeah. You knew him?"

She nodded, "It was probably Even, he did weird experiments like that all the time."

"How many of the Organization members do you know?" He asked her.

She shrugged, "I think I know seven of them. That is if they all did end up becoming members." She sighed, "I hope some of them got away."

"Well DiZ will definitely be interested to hear everything you know about them." Riku told her, walking past her, "Are you about ready to head out?"

"Yeah," She nodded, sitting back down to put on her boots and gloves. "Do you mind tossing these?" She asked, handing him the berry container. He took them from her and walked out of the room while she turned around and grabbed her sleeping pills. She stuffed the pill bottle into her brown satchel and grabbed her clothes from the night before. "Alright, I'm all ready." She announced, looking around the bare room one last time. "Off I go then…" She mumbled under her breath.

Turning around she left the room and closed the door behind her. She could hear the sink from the kitchen downstairs running water, so she walked down the steps to find Riku disposing of the berries.

"You put them down the drain?" She asked him, coming up beside him.

He shrugged, "I wanted to make sure no one else accidentally ate them."

"Ah, there you two are." Amelia greeted, walking into the kitchen. "Hinata, we wanted to give you something before you left."

"Me?" She asked, turning around to face Amelia. "You guys don't have to."

"Oh we know that, dear." Amelia assured her, "Think of it as a farewell present. We have it ready for you in the study."

"Well alright." Hinata smiled and glanced over at Riku before following Amelia into the study. On the couch in front of the fireplace, Doppler held a rectangular box wrapped with simple gold wrapping paper. He handed it to Hinata as she sat down beside him.

"Thank you," Hinata told them, looking down at the box.

Amelia chuckled, "Thank us after you've seen the contents."

With a smile, Hinata tore off the paper to reveal the white lid of the box. She carefully removed the lid to reveal a brand new plasma pistol. The handle was a dark cherry wood and gold details were engraved in the gray body of the weapon. Hinata grabbed the weapon and held it comfortably in her hand, examining it.

"Originally we were going to wait until Christmas to gift you this, but with the circumstances, we thought a farewell gift would suffice." Amelia told her.

"I love it. It's perfect." Hinata told them, placing the gun back into the box. Leaning over, she gave both of them a hug. "Thank you both, for everything."

"You've been an absolute joy, Hinata." Amelia told her, hugging her back.

"Yes, you will be greatly missed." Doppler added.

Pulling away from the hug and clearing her throat, Hinata wiped the corners of her eyes and stood from her place on the couch, trying to balance the gift and her clothes in her arms. Riku walked over and grabbed the clothes from her as well as the pile of clothes Doppler had given him.

"I'm really going to miss all of you too." Hinata told them, looking around the study. "I just realized we're missing someone; where is Jack?"

"Ah yes," Doppler stood and explained, "After we returned home last night he went and slept in the children's room."

Hinata smiled, "He hasn't done that in a while."

"We're about to go and wake the children." Amelia told her, "I'll make sure to have him head to Sam's shop."

"Thank you." Hinata nodded. The four of them stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to say.

Riku nudged Hinata's shoulder and reminded her, "We really should get going."

"Yeah, you're right." She nodded before sighing, "I guess this is goodbye then." She looked up at Doppler and Amelia. "I'm… not sure what to say."

Amelia came forward and gave Hinata a quick hug, "Take care of yourself and each other." When she pulled away, she kept her hands on her shoulders. "I know that you will both be busy and on dangerous missions, but make sure to take time for each other every once and a while." She glanced at Doppler, "A lesson I've been learning myself."

"We will." She replied with a smile. Taking a deep breath she added, "I know I keep saying this, but thank you for everything. I don't know what I would have done if you and Doc hadn't welcomed me in. I'll never forget you guys."

"And we'll never forget you." Doppler told her, cutting in and giving Hinata a hug. "Now off with both of you." He said as he pulled away from the hug. "We've held you up long enough."

"Take care of her, Riku." Amelia told him.

"I will," He assured them.

Turning around, Riku and Hinata headed for the front door and exited the home. Hinata glanced one last time, back at Doppler and Amelia before closing the door behind her. The cold air rushed into them as they walked outside causing Hinata to shiver.

"Well… that's one goodbye done with." She commented, huddling close to Riku as they walked.

Riku readjusted the pile of things in his arms, wishing he could wrap his arm around Hinata and replied, "Yeah, how are you doing?"

"A little sad." She admitted, "But also excited. I have been looking forward to seeing what your world is like."

"It's not that great." He told her. "The place we're staying in is a really old mansion… I'm not sure what you'll think of it."

"I don't care what it looks like." She assured him. "If you think its fine, then I do too."

"Well there is one place in Twilight Town I want to take you to."

"What is it?"

"It's a train ride away, but it's called Sunset Terrace. There's this big hill there that overlooks Twilight Town and they say it's supposed to be the most romantic spot in town."

"Oh really?" She asked with a smile on her face. "And who's they?"

He shrugged, "Just some of the residents."

A faint bark behind them caught their attention and turning around they saw Jack bounding towards them. His tail wagged happily behind him as he floated up to them.

"There you are!" Hinata greeted him, holding out her arms and giving him a hug. "I was worried you would want to stay behind."

Jack barked and licked her cheek, making her giggle before floating up to Riku, landing on the pile of things he was carrying.

"Oh, so now I have to carry you too?" Riku asked, sighing when Jack simply snuggled into the pile of clothes in response.

They continued to walk, chatting along the way as they made it to the marketplace. The market wasn't busy as usual due to the chilling weather and Riku and Hinata were able to make it to the alley without trouble. Hinata pushed open the shop's door, entering the even colder factory.

"Sam, James, are you here?" She called out, her voice echoing through the vast room.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Sam called from the kitchen, waving them over. "I thought you said you would be here early?"

"We got held up saying goodbye to Doc and Amelia." Hinata told her as they walked over.

"I even got up earlier than usual for you today." James complained, pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

"Yea, I'm sorry to cut in on your beauty sleep." Hinata sighed, sitting down on the stool next to Sam.

"Hey that's where I was going to sit." James told her.

"Can I put these on the ship?" Riku asked, cutting in on their banter.

"Yeah," Sam told him, getting up from her seat, "Don't really need my permission; it is your guy's ship after all."

Riku nodded and turned to bring the clothes and Hinata's new gun onto The Highwind. Once he was out of the kitchen, Sam asked Hinata. "So, you ready to head off today?"

"Yeah," She nodded, "It's a little overwhelming, but I'm excited."

"You really going through with it?" James asked, resigning to lean against the counter to eat his breakfast. "No last second, I actually want to be with James and stay on Montressor moments?" He shrugged when Sam gave him a look.

Hinata scoffed, "Yeah, no. I can't say that thought has crossed my mind. And you are really lucky Riku wasn't in here to hear you say that."

James sighed in resignation, "You can't blame me for making sure." He took a bite of his food and told her. "It's just hard to believe that you are actually leaving. Will you ever be back?"

"I want to say I will." She admitted, "But with how finicky the border is… I don't know if I'll be able to. I should be able to call sometimes though."

The siblings were silent after Hinata spoke, both of them prodding their food.

"I'm going to see if Ben needs help with anything on the ship." Sam broke the silence, quickly speaking as she turned to scamper out of the kitchen.

Hinata watched her leave and then asked, "Is she alright?"

"Probably just dealing with the same thing I am." James told her, frustration barely detectable in his voice.

"What is it?" She asked, turning around to face him.

"Do you really not know?" He asked, looking up at her, something clearly on his mind. When Hinata averted her gaze, he sighed. "I'm trying so hard to support you in this. We both are."

"James…" She started.

"We want you to be happy…" He interrupted her. "But it's just a little hard to swallow when just two days ago we were thinking you would be here forever. And now you're suddenly leaving this galaxy and we're not sure we'll ever see you again. How do you think we're feeling?" He pushed away from the counter and continued, trying to keep his voice calm. "You're Sam's best friend and… even though you don't feel the same way, I really like you, Hinata. If Riku wasn't here I would be begging you to stay behind because you mean a lot to me." He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "But… Riku is here and I know you've been wanting to get back home for months… I just… wish we were your home."

Hinata stared at James for a moment, seeing the tension in his body as he held in his frustration. Getting up from her seat, she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. Without hesitation, he hugged her back, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry." She told him, her voice muffled by his chest.

"Don't be," He assured her, "I know I'm being selfish."

"No, it's sweet." She replied, pulling away from the embrace so she could see his face. "I wish we didn't have to worry about the border and I could visit whenever I wanted."

James looked down at her and smiled while he looked her over. His cheeks began to barely blush as he lifted his hand from behind Hinata's back up to her cheek.

"What are you doing?" She asked him cautiously, unsure if she should make him stop touching her.

He looked as if there was something he wanted to do, his gaze switching between her eyes and her lips. After a moment of tense silence, he sighed and stepped away, removing his hands from Hinata. Turning back towards the counter where his now soggy cereal was waiting, he stammered, "N-nothing. I just…" He leaned his elbows on the counter and placed his face in his hands. "Forget it. Riku's probably waiting for you on the ship."

Hinata looked at him for a moment, unsure of what to do. She placed her hand on his arm before turning and reluctantly leaving the kitchen. Walking onto the deck of the ship, she saw Sam standing beside Ben near the Navigation, discussing something technological. She smiled to herself and turned towards the stairs leading below deck, seeing Riku walking up the steps.

"There you are." She smiled. "What took you so long?"

He came up on the deck and smiled, "Just looking around the ship and unpacking a bit. I wanted to give you time to talk to your friends."

"Thank you." She told him, grabbing his hand and keeping her eyes downcast.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"James is taking this really hard." She admitted, feeling Riku's hand tighten at the mention of his name. "And I have a feeling Sam is too… she's just trying to hide it." She sighed, "I guess it's just hard seeing them hurt knowing I'm the cause of it."

"It will be alright." He assured her. "They're only upset because you mean a lot to them." He lifted his other hand and pushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear, "How are you doing?"

"I have a lot of mixed feelings." She admitted. "I'm not sure how to explain it."

"You don't have to." He told her. "I think I understand." Rubbing the back of his neck he offered. "If you need anything or if there's anything I can do to help, let me know, alright?"

"I will," She nodded and smiled over at him. "Thanks."

"Well, The Highwind is about ready to take off." Sam came over, a small smile on her face as she tried to seem positive. "You can head off whenever you want." She fidgeted her hands uncomfortably in front of her as she and Hinata looked at each other.

Hinata let go of Riku's hand and walked towards Sam, grabbing her hands she told her. "James told me how you've both been feeling… I'm sorry."

Sam scoffed, trying to wave it off. "Oh that crybaby doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm fine. I want you to go."

"Whatever," Hinata laughed, pulling Sam into a hug. "However you feel; I'm really going to miss you."

As Hinata held her, Sam's resolve finally began to break down and hugging her tighter, she began to cry. "Dammit!" She cried into Hinata's shoulder. "I was trying so hard to keep it together!" She pulled away from the embrace and used her arms to wipe away her tears. "Do you have to go?" She asked, trying to regain composure.

Hinata bit her tongue, trying to keep her own tears from falling and nodded. "I do…"

"Ah don't cry!" Ben exclaimed running over, his own mechanical eyes turning blue. "If you cry then I'll start to cry and you don't want to see a robot cry! It's embarrassing!"

Sam chuckled, still sniffling and assured him, "I'll try my best Ben."

"Are you guys headed out?" James asked, walking onto the deck. His hands were stuffed in the pockets in his jacket and his eyes reddened.

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, just about." She looked him over, "Are you alright?"

James let out a small bitter laugh before admitting, "No… But I'll be fine." He looked over at Riku and held out his hand. Waiting for him to reluctantly take it, James grabbed his hand and shook it, telling him, "Take care of her, alright? She's all yours."

"I will, but I'm pretty sure she can take care of herself too." He strained a smile and let go of James's hand.

"I'm glad she has you." Sam told Riku, walking up and giving him a short hug. "Make sure to pop in for a visit sometime when the border is down."

"We'll try." Riku assured them, giving a small smile over to Hinata.

Hinata smiled back before moving forward and hugging both Sam and James. "You guys were the best!" She told them. "I'll never forget all the fun we had together."

"You better not." Sam told her, hugging her back. Pulling away, she wiped the corners of her teary eyes and said. "Now get out of here. You're clogging up my shop."

She laughed and put her hands up in surrender, "Oh fine, I'm leaving."

Sam chuckled as she turned to leave the ship and James stepped forward to talk with Hinata.

"You never told me what word you would use around me." He brought up.

Hinata gave him a look, "What do you mean?"

"Do you not remember me asking you last night?" He smiled and shook his head, "Man, how tired were you?"

"Yeah, I really don't remember much of last night." She admitted with a small laugh. "But I guess to answer your question… I would say… enjoyable?"

"Really?" He asked, before laughing. "You find being with me enjoyable?"

Riku shook his head, and crossed his arms; turning away to give Hinata time to say goodbye to James as she responded. "Well yeah, I didn't come here every day just because I was bored. I really liked spending time with you and Sam. It was one of my highlights of living here; although I could describe being with you as tiresome… because you wouldn't stop hitting on me."

James laughed, "Well you can't blame a guy for trying. Besides, you would have been worth the effort if you eventually went for it." He cleared his throat uncomfortably when he noticed Riku turn his way with a scowl. "But… anyways, I should let you get going. I just wanted to know."

"Take care of yourself James." Hinata smiled. "And look out for Sam too; Jim will be on shore leave again in a couple months."

"Yeah, don't remind me." He sighed, crossing his arms. He looked up at Riku and asked, "Can I hug her goodbye?"

"You don't have to ask permission." Riku sighed, turning away.

"Is he mad at me again?" James asked Hinata quietly.

Hinata rolled her eyes and laughed, "Just shut up and hug me."

James laughed and wrapped his arms around Hinata, hugging her tightly. "Be careful, ok?" He told her quietly, "I don't want anything happening to you."

"I'll be careful." She assured him, pulling away from his embrace. "You too, alright?"

"Yeah," He tried to smile back as he reluctantly turned around and headed off the ship.

Once both her friends were off, Hinata turned towards navigation, "Ben can you start up the ship?"

"Can do!" He saluted, quickly getting to work on the process.

Hinata turned back towards the railing looking down at Sam and James standing a safe distance away. She tightened her hands around the railing, trying to keep her emotions in check. Riku came up beside her as the engines roared to life. The ship began to move as Ben began readying everything for flight. Sam and James walked alongside the ship until it was out of the shop. As it rose into the air, Hinata raised her hand and waved at her friends as they grew smaller and smaller the higher the ship went. Soon they were high up in the clouds and their view of the planet below was blocked. Hinata lowered her hand and stood, staring blankly at the view around them. Tightly closing her eyes, she tried to keep tears from falling.

"It's alright if you need to cry." Riku told her softly, noticing her struggle.

"No… I'm fine." She told him, her voice shaking. "I wanted to leave, I shouldn't be sad."

"They were your friends." He explained, "You've spent the last several months here building a life with those people. It's alright if you're sad to leave them."

"I…" She tried to talk, but her voice broke. Unable to contain it any longer she slowly allowed herself to break down, burying her face in her hands.

Riku reached over and pulled her into his arms, allowing her to cry against his chest. He felt her shoulders heaving as he lightly ran his hands up and down her back.

"I'm really going to miss them…" She eventually told him, her voice muffled as she buried her face in his jacket.

"I know." He told her. He was about to say more, but a faint chime and vibration came from his coat pocket. Reaching one of his hands back from Hinata he pulled out the silver communication device. "I need to get this." He told her, watching as she reluctantly pulled away from him. Leaning down, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, "I'll be right back." Standing back up straight, he left Hinata's side and pressed the blue button to bring up the hologram of DiZ.

"Have you begun the flight?" DiZ asked him once the call was connected.

"Yeah, we just left Montressor." Riku told him. "We should be in space soon and then we'll use the FTL Drive to get to Twilight Town."

"Excellent," He nodded, "It seems that you will arrive in a timely manner then. How is Hinata faring?"

"She's taking it hard, but she'll be alright." He informed him before smirking, "I'm surprised you care. You never ask how I'm doing."

DiZ chuckled, "I don't need to. You usually inform me if something is amiss. Is Hinata available to speak?"

Riku glanced behind him at Hinata; she had mostly regained her composure as she looked out at the stars. "I'll go check." Riku replied, turning to approach Hinata. "Hey… DiZ needs to talk with you. Are you up for it?"

Taking a deep breath, Hinata turned around and strained a smile. "Yeah, I can talk."

"We need to discuss the FTL Drive going across galaxies." DiZ told her.

"Sounds… riveting." Hinata sighed, glancing up at Riku as he handed her the device with a smirk.

DiZ looked over at Riku, "That will be all Riku."

Riku glanced up at Hinata, "Will you be alright?" He asked and when she nodded he told her, "Then I'll be below deck if you need me." Turning around he headed down the stairs.

He walked across the living room area and opened the first door in the hall, leading into the bedroom. Going inside, he looked around the modestly furnished room. A tan carpet was over the floor, differing from the dark red of the hall. He unzipped his coat, taking it off and hanging it off the back of the desk chair by the door. Walking over to the blue comforter on the bed he sat along the edge and took off his boots before laying back. He finally allowed himself a moment to relax, letting his muscles finally go at ease. Looking over he spotted Jack curled up asleep at the foot of the bed. He hadn't moved since Riku had brought him there earlier. After a few minutes, Riku sat up and reached towards the bedside table, grabbing the red journal he had unpacked earlier. He leaned against the pillows and began to read where he left off the day before. Several minutes of comfortable silence went by until the door of the bedroom opened. Riku glanced up from his book to see Hinata enter the room. She closed the door and leaned against it.

"Hey," Riku greeted, a smile appearing on his face.

She looked back at him and smiled, "Hey."

"You were up there for a while." He noted.

"Yeah," She sighed, "Apparently travelling from one galaxy to the next by ship is pretty complicated. We're on our way though. We should be at Twilight Town in about ten hours."

Closing the journal and placing it back on the bedside table, he asked, "How are you doing?"

Pushing herself off the door and beginning to walk towards the bed, she shrugged, "I've been better; but I don't feel like I'm going to randomly start crying anymore." She climbed onto the bed and situated herself beside Riku. "So I guess you could say I'm doing alright."

Riku smiled and turned to his side to face her. "I'm happy to hear that."

"You took off your jacket." She noticed, turning to her side towards him.

"It's not comfortable to relax in." He admitted. "Plus we're flying a ship faster than light. I don't think the Organization can track me right now."

Hinata giggled, "Yeah, well I'm not complaining." Falling onto her back and staring at the ceiling she sighed, "So we have ten hours."

Riku looked her over and nodded, "Yeah, it's going to be a long trip."

She turned her head to look at him. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, we could try out that new sparring room later." He offered.

"That's right!" Hinata beamed, suddenly sitting up from the bed, her eyes bright. "I almost forgot about that! We haven't sparred since we were back on the island!" Quickly kissing him, she chimed, "Oh, it's going to be so much fun to spar again! I can show you all the stuff I've learned." She climbed off the bed and rushed to her luggage; rummaging through it and pulling out an outfit. "Alright, meet you in the sparring room in ten minutes!"

"But…" Riku protested as she scurried out of the room, leaving him alone on the bed. Groaning, he leaned back and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I said later…"

With a sigh, he sat back up and climbed out of the bed. Jack was just waking up from sleeping at the edge of the bed and watched Riku as he went to his new pile of clothes to fine anything that would work for sparring. Within seconds Riku found a pair of cotton pants that reminded him of the sparring uniform from the island. He changed into the new clothes before heading over to the sparring room to meet with Hinata. The door was already open as he walked into the hallway and he could hear Hinata moving around in the room.

"Can you tell me why we…" He started to complain as he walked in, but his voice trailed off when he caught sight of Hinata.

She stood in front of a wall mirror stretching, only wearing a purple sports bra and tight black pants. When she heard Riku enter the room, she turned towards him and placed her hands on her hips. "Tell you what?" She asked him.

"Uh…" His voice came out unusually weak and he quickly shook his head and cleared his throat. Suddenly smiling he stretched his arms and said. "So, sparring? We haven't done that in a while."

A smile appeared on Hinata's face and she nodded, "Yeah, it's definitely been a while." She put on fingerless brown gloves over her hands and walked towards him. "I thought it would be fun if we tried hand-to-hand. Do you know how to?"

"What?" He looked up at her face, "What do you mean, of course I know how to."

"I mean properly, silly." She clarified with a chuckle.

"I know enough." He admitted, "Are you sure though, I don't want to hurt you on accident."

"I'm pretty sure I'll be fine." She assured him, turning around and walking towards the large sparring mat in the center of the room. Once she got to her spot she whisked around and got into position. She cocked her head to the side when she saw Riku and asked, "Are you alright, your face is flushed."

"Yeah, I'm fine." He told her, quickly shaking his head. "Where did you get that outfit?"

Hinata looked down at her clothes, or lack thereof, and explained, "It's just my fighting outfit. My sparring partner, Colette got it for me." She straightened her posture, "Is something wrong with it? I know it shows a lot more skin than what I usually wear."

"No, it's fine." He assured her, walking onto the mat. "Just different." He stood on the opposite side of the mat and readied his fists. "Don't think I'm going to go easy on you." He told her, a smirk appearing on his face.

"I'd be disappointed if you did." She smirked back, getting back into a fighting stance.

They stood staring at each other for a moment, waiting for the other to strike. Hinata balanced on the balls of her feet, slightly moving side to side before quickly jabbing her fist towards Riku's chest followed by a roundhouse kick. Riku deflected both easily, getting straight into the mode. Redirecting her movements, he spun closer and moved to jab his elbow into her stomach. Hinata turned as well, so his elbow skidded off, jumping backwards to create space between them. They traded blows and kicks for a few more seconds, Riku surprised at how well Hinata was holding her own against him; especially when she snapped a side-kick in his ribs. He grunted when she made impact, knowing it was going to leave a bruise.

He passed on a few opportunities to strike waiting for the moment she would overbalance herself by overreaching. She did not disappoint as he saw the opening and reached forward; grabbing her wrist and forcing it behind her back. A small cry of pain escaped her lips as he twisted her and he immediately released her.

"You alright?" He asked her, suddenly worried.

Shaking her hands in front of her to get through the pain she nodded, "Yeah I'm fine."

Her skin was slick with sweat as she caught her breath. Looking over at Riku she saw that he was the same. The ends of his long hair stuck to his skin as his muscles tensed from breathing heavily. Hinata's cheeks flushed as she forced herself to look away. She walked near the entrance of the room and grabbed a water bottle off of the ground, taking a quick drink. Grabbing another bottle, she tossed it to Riku, letting him take a breather. He caught it with ease and took a drink.

Tossing it to the ground when he was done, he asked, "You ready for another round? Or are you done?"

"I could go again." She smirked, drying herself off with a towel before moving back to the mat.

"You could have gotten out of that lock I put you in." He told her.

"I know," She nodded, "I wasn't confident enough to try it though."

He let out a short laugh, "Fair enough." He readied his stance, waiting for Hinata to do the same.

The fight went about the same as before, both of them holding their own and occasionally landing hits of the other. Their stamina was quickly diminishing their reactions visibly slowing. Riku lunged in to her left and Hinata belatedly spun toward him to block the attack, but she was too late. Before she could react, he jabbed stiff fingers into either side of her spine, just above her pelvis. Her legs immediately went wobbly and Riku slammed his flat palm against her back making her tumble awkwardly onto the mat. She put out her arms to break her fall but once she was on the ground, Riku placed his knee against her back and grabbed both her arms, pinning her to the floor. They stood in that position for a moment, both of them breathing heavily, before Riku released her and plopped down beside her.

Hinata moved her arms under her and tried to sit up but couldn't move her legs. Lightly groaning, she hit her forehead on the mat and asked, "What did you do to me? I can't feel my legs."

"Just hit a pressure point." He told her, "The feeling should return in a few minutes."

"You could have just told me you didn't want to fight anymore." She sighed, trying to regain her breath.

"Now where's the fun in that?" He teased.

"Where did you learn something like that?" She asked. "Amelia didn't even teach that to me."  
Riku shrugged, "Something DiZ taught me. He has all sorts of books about different pressure points to hit when you fight someone."

"Sounds like a man of all trades." She noted, leaning her head against the mat. They sat in silence for a moment before she asked, "Where are the other pressure points?"

Riku outstretched one of his hands, lightly touching her back, just beneath her shoulder blade, "Here. I could cause the feeling to go out of your arm for a while." Running his fingers down her spine he told her, "Anywhere along here a hit, especially if I hit you with my elbow would really hurt."

She closed her eyes and nodded in response, unable to stop the chills running through her from his touch. Her cheeks flushed as he moved his hand towards her neck, not even listening to his words anymore as he traced his fingers along her jawline and different areas around her face.

"Hinata…" His voice brought her back to reality and she fluttered her eyes open.

"Yes?" She asked, looking up at him slightly embarrassed.

"Did you fall asleep?" He asked a smile on his face.

"No, of course not," She defended. "Just… listening."

"Oh really…" He smirked, not fully believing her.

Feeling returning to her legs, she sat herself back up and leaned forward, kissing him. "Yes, really." She assured him.

"What was the last thing I said?" He asked, still not fully convinced.

Hinata stared at him for a moment before quipping, "You said that I was the prettiest girl you've ever seen and you're so happy that we're together?"

"Huh?" He asked; his expression was hard to read as he looked at her, taken aback by her random answer. As she stared back at him expectantly, a smile appeared on his face and he began to laugh. "Well it's true," He admitted, still laughing under his breath. "But that isn't anywhere close to what I said. Just admit it, you fell asleep."

"But I really didn't!" She laughed, falling back onto the mat.

"Then what were you doing?" He asked, leaning over her.

She averted her eyes slightly embarrassed and confessed. "I- uh… just got distracted, that's all."

"By what?" He pried, moving out of the way as she sat up again.

"It was nothing, really." She assured him, giving him a kiss before pushing herself to stand. Her legs wobbled a bit under her weight as she stood, but she was able to maintain her balance.

She began walking towards the door to the room and Riku sprang up to his feet asking, "Wait, where are you going?"

She stopped walking and glanced behind her shoulder at him, "Oh, I was thinking of taking a shower."

"Just wait a second." He told her, walking up to her. When he was right in front of her he placed his hands on the sides of her waist and kissed her. "You look amazing in that, just so you know."

Hinata's cheeks flushed and she stammered, "I do? I'm barely wearing anything."

Riku chuckled, "I know." He kissed her again, slightly more intensely, before releasing her. "Don't use all the hot water; I want to take a shower too."

"I'll be quick." She promised, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving the room.

Up on the deck, Ben stood at the navigation studying the star charts on the screen. Jack floated next to him, wagging his tail as Ben scratched the back of his head.

"This is amazing, little buddy!" Ben exclaimed, "All these new worlds in a whole other galaxy. Man, am I glad Captain Flint didn't know about these."

Jack barked in response before perking his ears up when he heard the stairs creaking. He floated away from Ben towards the stairwell and began wagging his tail as he spotted Hinata walking up the steps. She was back in her normal clothes and Jack instantly bombarded her with doggie kisses and nuzzles, making her laugh.

"Good to see you too, Jack." She told him, scratching him behind his ears.

"Ah, Hinata!" Ben exclaimed, putting his arms in the air. "Our journey is more than half way done! Only four hours to go."

"Four?" Hinata repeated. "We've really been flying for six hours?"

"So what have you and Master Riku been up to?" Ben asked.

"You can just call him Riku, Ben." Hinata corrected him, before telling him, "And we sparred a little bit, ate some lunch, and just hung out. It was nice." She smiled for a moment thinking it over before she cleared her throat and walked towards the navigation. "I just wanted to check up on you to see if you wanted me to take over flying for a bit."

"No worries, Captain." Ben saluted. "I have her on autopilot right now and I've been studying your galaxy's star charts with Jack. So you go ahead and enjoy the trip!"

Hinata smiled, "Thanks, and seriously Ben, you don't have to call me captain."

"It's a habit." He shrugged, "Can't teach an old robot new tricks! Well… I suppose you could, I mean I am learning these new star charts…" He continued to ramble on, making Hinata smirk and roll her eyes.

She turned around and walked towards the ship railing, watching the streaks of stars pass by. Since they were using the FTL Drive there wasn't much of a view on deck. Still, she stood against the railing as Jack floated up beside her and she began sliding her hand along his back. Soon she was joined by Riku; he walked up beside her, leaning against the railing.

"We only have about four hours until we get to Twilight Town." She told him.

Riku wrapped one of his arms around her waist "So what do you want to do for the rest of the trip then?"

"We could take a nap." She offered, letting out a yawn. "I know I definitely wouldn't mind it."

"You could if you wanted." He informed her, "I'll probably just read some more of your journals."

"For four hours?" She asked.

He shrugged, "I'm sure I could find something else to do if I got bored. I'm just not tired."

"I don't know how you're not." She told him, holding back another yawn.

"Yeah, I've never been able to take naps during the day though." He admitted, "I'll be fine if you want to take a nap."

"I think I will," She turned towards him and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek before heading below deck with Jack floating in tow.

Riku crossed his arms and looked out at the streaks of starlight whizzing past them. After a few minutes, he turned around and headed towards the stairs. "You alright by yourself up here?" He asked Ben as he walked towards the steps.

"Don't you worry Master Riku!" Ben assured him, "I was alone for over a hundred years! I don't mind being alone for a few hours."

"Just Riku is fine." He told him, "And alright, we'll be below deck if you need us."

Ben waved him off as he walked below deck. Riku went towards the bedroom, quietly opening the door to see Hinata already cozied and slumbering under the covers. Jack was on top of Hinata, lying fast asleep on her stomach. Riku chuckled silently to himself as he shut the door behind him and walked towards the bed, seeing the red journal on the bedside table. Moving the covers of the bed carefully as to not disturb Hinata, he slipped into the bed. Hinata must have noticed him as she immediately turned to her side and snuggled up beside him with a contented sigh, awaking Jack in the process. Jack looked dazedly at Riku, floating almost drunkenly to his lap and curling up to fall back asleep. With a small smile, Riku looked down at both of them as they nestled into him without hesitation. He reached over and grabbed the red journal off the bedside table, opening it to the page he had left off. Each page he turned the heavier his eyes became. Without realizing when it happened he leaned his cheek against Hinata's head and allowed himself to close his eyes.

"Land ho!" Ben yelled down the stairs, startling Riku awake.

He looked around the room with half opened his eyes feeling exhaustion washing over him. Shaking his head to clear his mind he spotted the journal upside down against his chest and Hinata and Jack still slumbered peacefully against him. He placed his hand on Hinata shoulder and lightly shook it.

"Five more minutes…" She groaned, nuzzling into him.

Riku let out a small laugh, "No, we have to get up."

"Why…" She complained, wrapping her arm around him. "You're so comfy."

"Ben says we made it to Twilight Town." He told her.

Her eyes instantly shot open and she sat up, "He did?" She asked; a bright smile appearing on her tired face. When Riku nodded she threw off the covers and jumped out of the bed. She put her hand on her dog's back. "Come on Jack! Let's see our new home!"

Jack stretched and quickly floated up, following Hinata as she rushed out of the room. Riku watched as they ran off, feeling his energy reserves being sapped away by their excitement. He leaned back and placed his hand over his eyes.

"Did four hours really just go by?" he asked himself, feeling like he could close his eyes and fall right back to sleep.

Forcing himself to sit up, he pulled off his covers and wobbled over to his black coat on the back of the desk chair. He put on his coat and boots, zipping everything up as he walked up the stairs to the deck. Hinata and Jack were excitedly leaning against the railing, looking at the planet below. The Highwind was no longer in the FTL Drive and the stars surrounding them were no longer streaks but twinkling lights throughout the vast darkness of space. Just seeing them themselves was a breathtaking sight on its own, but turning around, Riku saw the world of Twilight Town. Orange and yellow clouds surrounded most of the sphere, spinning slowly in front of them. Beneath the small openings of the clouds, different hues of green could be seen on the planet's surface.

"This is where you live?" Hinata asked, grabbing Riku's arm. "It's amazing."

Riku chuckled, "You haven't even seen the house I'm staying in. Don't speak too soon."

"I can't wait to see it." She told him, a smile beaming on her face.

"I didn't realize you were so excited about it." He commented, smiling at the way her eyes were glowing with delight.

"Well, like you said back on Montressor, you wanted to see the life I built for myself." She told him, "I want the same thing. I want to see where you've been and what you've been doing. I guess, just try to see what I missed."

"You didn't miss much," He assured her. "It's really not that great of a place."

Hinata laughed, "Well neither was Montressor. Still… I'm excited to see everything."

"Hinata," Ben caught her attention, "Should we call that guy again so we can land?"

"Yeah," Riku answer for her, turning and walking towards Ben. "Where is the device?"

Bren reached over and grabbed the communication device from atop the navigation screen and handed it to him. Riku nodded his thanks and pressed the blue button in the center of the device causing it to light up. Within seconds the small hologram of DiZ appeared.

"We're here." Riku told him once he appeared. "We're in orbit above the planet."

"Oh! I know what to do!" Ben suddenly exclaimed, pressing buttons on the control board and turning the steering wheel. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"How…" Hinata started, walking forward with her arms crossed.

"I had the coordinates scanned to his mind when the call was connected." DiZ informed her. "I shall see you shortly." He cut the call and Riku stuffed the device back into his pocket.

"How does he do that?" Hinata asked, looking up at Riku.

"We can try asking him, but I doubt he'll tell us." He sighed. "You'll get used to it. He seems to know a little bit about everything."

"Won't people on the planet see us landing?" Hinata asked.

Ben shook his head and pressed a few more buttons on the control board. "Not to worry, my lady! When I told Sam about my brilliant plan of the Drive core I also installed a perception filter!"

"A what?" Hinata asked, watching as Ben flew them towards the layer of orange clouds.

"It's something that makes people think the object isn't there." Riku explained. "It's actually something that's in these coats."

"But I can see you." She pointed out, "Even when you first entered the Benbo Inn I knew you were there."

"That's because you wanted to see me." He told her, reaching for her hand. "If you are already looking for me then the perception filter doesn't affect you."

"Oh…" She replied, her cheeks blushing.

"The filter has some sort of telepathic connection to people around it. Making their minds think that what they are seeing isn't really there." He explained further. "That's how the Organization can go from world to world almost unnoticed."

"Unless you're already looking for them." She finished. "Or they interact with you directly."

"Exactly." He nodded before scoffing, "One of the only things DiZ actually ever fully explained to me."

Hinata nodded and then gasped as the ship past through the orange layer of clouds. The wet mist surrounded them for a single moment, before they broke into the atmosphere of the planet. Hinata rushed to the railing on the side of the ship, looking at the vast town below them. They were too high in the sky to make any specific details out, but Hinata could see miles of buildings before her, many of them billowing white smoke into the air. In between different parts of the town were fields of grass and trees going on for what seemed like forever.

"There's a beach here too." Riku told her, walking up beside her. "We won't see it from here though. It's on the other side of the world. We could take a train there sometime."

"I'd like that." She nodded, looking out at the world below them. "This is beautiful." She glanced over to him, and smiled.

"Welcome home." He placed his hand over hers as she grabbed the railing.

"Yeah," She looked back at the town as they got closer to the ground.

The ship passed over a tall clock tower that stood over a train station. They passed over a small town, where people were bustling through the streets, paying no mind to the giant ship flying overhead. Going over a tall brick wall they were suddenly in the midst of a thick forest leading to an old mansion.

"Is that it?" Hinata asked, leaning over to get a better look at the building.

"Yeah," Riku shortly answered.

The tan building was two stories tall with large multi-paned windows along the second level. A large black gate blocked off visitors from entering the building that was seemingly falling apart.

"I told you it isn't much." He told her.

"No, it's fine." She looked back at him, grabbing him hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm going to be happy no matter what it looks like. I'm with you; we could be homeless for all I care."

Riku smiled and told her, "Well alright. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Going behind the mansion, the ship floated above a vast overgrown garden with a fountain in the center. Slowly, Ben lowered the ship to the ground behind the fountain and with a slight lurch forward, the ship landed on the thick grass. A metal platform came off the side of the ship, lowering from the deck to the ground to serve as a walkway off the ship.

Riku squeezed Hinata's hand and asked, "Well… are you ready?"

Hinata's knees suddenly felt momentarily weak as she stared at her new home, unsure what to expect. Taking a deep breath she glanced over at Riku and nodded, "Ready."


	14. Twilight Town

Chapter 14

Hinata slowly walked down the metal walkway from the ship to the grassy ground. Singing birds tweeted in the trees surrounding her as she looked around the mansion's backyard garden. Overgrown weeds lined the brick wall that enclosed the area and even though it was supposed to be a garden, very few flowers were among the thicket. The clouded glass door that led inside the mansion slowly opened as DiZ came outside to greet the new arrivals. He stood tall and stoic, his hands clasped behind his back as he easily walked over the uneven ground.

Stopping in front of the ship and waiting for Hinata and Riku to get off the walkway, he greeted. "Welcome to your new home, Hinata. I trust the trip went smoothly.

"Uh, thanks." Hinata smiled uneasily. "Yeah, it went pretty quick actually."

DiZ gave her a small smile before looking up at her vessel. "I take it this is the notorious ship you informed me of."

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, this is The Highwind."

With a faint chuckle, he repeated, "The Highwind. Well, it is unlike any ship I have ever seen."

Ben came up to the railing of the ship, still on deck as Jack floated beside him. "Greetings DiZ, sir!" He waved his metal arm as he called down. "Have you come to tour the ship?"

DiZ walked forward, stepping onto the metal walkway leading to the deck, "I suppose I have. I would very much like to see just how competent your friend, Sam is."

Hinata snorted a short laugh, "You're lucky she wasn't here to hear you say that."

"Should I show Hinata inside?" Riku spoke up.

Giving a small nod, DiZ agreed. "Yes, while I inspect the ship you can show Hinata to her room. She is across the hall from Namine."

"Actually," Hinata stepped forward, "I can just stay in Riku's room."

DiZ abruptly stopped walking and glanced over at Riku before looking down at Hinata. An awkward silence tensed the air and Hinata gradually became more nervous.

"I mean… if that's alright." She stammered as her cheeks flushed. "I don't have to…"

Giving a smirk, DiZ began walking again and told her, "Do as you wish."

"Wait until you see the Drive I created!" Ben told him excitedly.

DiZ let out a deep laugh, "I look forward to seeing it."

Riku lightly put his hand on Hinata's shoulder and led her forward towards the glass door leading into the mansion. "Come on," He told her quietly.

She walked with him, her cheeks still warmed. As they entered the old building she asked, "Should I not have said anything?"

"Don't worry about it." He assured her. "For some reason he seems to be a lot more protective of you than he is with me and Namine. I think he was just surprised… you didn't really need to tell him though."

"Oh… sorry," She told him, "It just sort of came out."

"It's fine." He replied, giving her a small smile.

Hinata smiled back before looking around them, taking in where she was going to be living for the next several months. The glass door led into a large foyer with burnt orange tile covering the floor. A faint musty smell surrounded the area and the walls themselves seemed to be falling apart. In the center of the foyer was a glass case and inside seemed to be a small replica of the mansion they were in. Hinata walked towards the replica and as she did she noticed two large stairways on either end of the room, leading to a second floor. Along the walls in front of the stairs there were doors; one on either side of the foyer.

"This is the main room." Riku told her, walking up beside her. Pointing to the left he explained, "Through that door is the dining room; or at least that's what DiZ calls it. There isn't even anything really in there, just a lot of broken furniture and two chairs." Pointing up the stairs above the door, he told her. "We call that room the white room, it's where Namine usually is; I'll show you up there after I show you our room."

"Alright," Hinata nodded, taking everything in, "Why is everything falling apart? Why would you guys decide to live here?"

Riku began walking towards the other end of the foyer to the other door and explained, "I don't know how DiZ found this place but I know it's not exactly his. We're using it more as a base rather than an actual home. You know, trying to be undercover and unnoticeable. People won't exactly come looking for Sora in an abandoned home in the middle of a forest."

"I suppose that's true." She agreed, following Riku as he pulled open the door leading into a long hallway. "So Sora's here? Can I see him?"

Nodding, he told her, "Yeah, but not yet. We'll want to have DiZ or Namine with us when we see him."

Hinata remained silent as they continued to walk. The walls in the hallway were just like the ones in the foyer. The old fashioned floral wallpaper was peeling away revealing a wooden panel wall behind it. Dusty books and clutter were packed in the corners and along the edge of the floor, creating a thin walkway. They passed dissimilar rooms, Riku giving a faint explanation that they were just different rooms with broken furniture. Stopping in front of a door, he reached for the doorknob that seemed to be completely new, unlike the dented rusty ones in the rest of the hall.

"Here's our room." He told her, turning the knob. He pushed the door forward but it stuck and didn't move. With a small grumble under his breath, he used his shoulder and roughly shoved against the wood, causing it to loosen up and finally swing open. "The door jams sometimes."

"Oh really?" Hinata replied sarcastically with a small laugh as she walked into the bedroom.

A large bed with a fluffy comforter was pushed against the wall in the far corner beside a dusty window that overlooked the forest outside. An alarm clock stood on an old chipped bedside table that was also stacked with a small pile of books. The floor of the room was mostly clear, spare for books being piled in the corners. Another door was inside on the other side of the bed, which Hinata assumed led to a bathroom. Beside the door was a large wardrobe. The red and gold paint that once made an intricate design on the wood was chipped and sullen in look. Hinata walked forward and sat on the edge of the bed as Riku stayed in the doorway with his arms crossed, waiting for her response.

"You've been living here the last five months?" Hinata looked over at him and asked.

"Technically four." He corrected her. "I was in Castle Oblivion for about a month; but yeah." He leaned against the doorframe and sighed, "I warned you it wasn't much."

Hinata shook her head, "Its fine. I guess I'm just surprised." She ran her hand along the blanket on the bed and noted, "This bed seems new, or at least the blanket does."

Riku nodded and pushed himself off the doorframe to walk in front of Hinata. "Yeah, there weren't any beds when I moved in here; at least not anything I would feel comfortable sleeping on. DiZ told me he would take care of it and sent me on a mission. Then when I got back this bed was here."

"He's just the man of secrets, isn't he?" Hinata chuckled. "But I'm glad you got an actual bed… now I feel bad that I'm not sleeping in my own room. I wonder if he got me a bed."

"That's true," He realized. "I didn't think about that." He shrugged, "Well if you ever get tired of sharing a bed with me you could just go sleep in there."

Hinata smiled and stood from the bed, reaching forward and grabbing Riku's hands. "I guess that's true; but I don't think I'll ever get tired of that."

Riku smiled back and squeezed Hinata's hands before turning around and leading the way out of the room. "Alright, come on. We have a lot more of the mansion to see."

"Alright!" She agreed, walking alongside him as they left the room.

She followed him back to the hallway, where he led further down showing her a large kitchen at the end of the hall. They also stopped by where DiZ had told them Hinata's room was, checking inside to see it with a new bed in similar design to Riku's room. Getting done touring the hall, Riku led back to the foyer to take them up the stairs.

"You can meet Namine next." He told her, "DiZ shouldn't be too much longer on The Highwind."

"I'm surprised he's still on it." She admitted. "There really isn't much to see."

"For us maybe," He pointed out, walking up the left flight of stairs. "But he seems to know all about the mechanics of how it works; so he's probably looking at all of that."

They reached the top of the stairs and walked along the balcony towards a lone door. Riku lightly knocked on the wood once they were in front of it. Within seconds the large door began creaking open as a girl with long blonde hair looked up at them with a small smile on her face. Her blue eyes lit up when she saw Hinata.

"You must be Hinata." She greeted with a soft voice, fully opening the door and outstretching her hand. Once Hinata took her hand in hers, she told her, "Riku's told me all about you."

Hinata gave Riku a side-glance with a smirk before addressing her, "And you must be Namine. It's good to finally put a face to the name."

Namine brought her hand back and gave a small giggle, "I know just what you mean." She placed her palms together in front of her and pressed her fingers next to each other. "Have you talked with DiZ at all?"

Hinata shook her head, "Not much. He's touring the ship right now." She looked up past Namine and scanned the room behind her. "This room looks a lot different than the rest of the mansion."

With a nod, Namine turned and walked further into the room, allowing Riku and Hinata to enter. The entirety of it was completely white; from the architecture even down to the furnishings and décor. A long table stood in the middle of the room with a single white chair on each far end. A large chandelier dangled from the ceiling with a stained glass design in the center of it; despite the glass being a foggy white rather than the usual colors seen in stained glass. A tall multi-paned window was along the wall that led outside with two thin drapes covering the glass. The only color in the room was on drawings that were scattered along the walls and table.

"This is where I spend most of my time when I am not checking on Sora's state." Namine told her, watching her walk around the room.

"Did you draw these?" Hinata asked, pointing to a piece of paper with a drawing of a large purple heart and golden pillars surrounding it.

She nodded, "I did. I draw all the time." She giggled, "I have to send Riku out to buy me a new sketchbook every couple weeks."

"You're really good." Hinata smiled and told her.

"You should show her your drawings, Hinata." Riku spoke up, attempting to hide a smile when Hinata quickly looked back at him. "Especially that one you drew on Treasure Planet."

Hinata scoffed and shoved his shoulder making him laugh. "I'd rather not embarrass myself thanks." She told him, trying to seem annoyed but couldn't erase the smile on her face.

Namine laughed softly and noted, "That's the first time I've heard you laugh, Riku."

"Really?" Hinata asked in surprise, looking over at him. "I feel like you laugh a lot."

Riku's laughter subsided and his expression went back to being serious. "Around you, I do." He admitted, avoiding Namine's gaze, knowing she was smiling at him.

Hinata smiled and turned back towards the drawings, looking at the one she had pointed to earlier. "This one reminds me of Hollow Bastion." She commented.

"It is." Namine told her, explaining as Hinata turned towards her. "Most of these drawings are Sora's memories."

"Really?" She asked, walking around the room to see each picture. "That's amazing," She told her as she came up to a drawing of the paopu tree back on the island. It was as if it was taken straight out of the first page of her Journey Journal. She, Kairi, and Sora all sat on the trunk of the tree while Riku leaned against the base of it. "So how exactly can you have all of Sora's memories?" She asked, turning back around to face Namine. "Don't you get them mixed up with your own memories?"

Namine looked towards the window that overlooked the forest outside. "I don't have any of my own memories; not very many anyways." She admitted. "I'm not sure exactly why I have Sora's memories in me; but without them I don't think I would be able to wake Sora up."

"You don't have any of your own memories?" Hinata asked, walking towards her. "But how? You look about our age, maybe a year younger; you must have at least some memories of your childhood. Even with everything I forgot, I still remembered random things." She noticed Namine's eyes sadden as the words left her mouth.

"She's a Nobody, Hinata." Riku spoke up. "She doesn't have any memories because she didn't grow up the same way we did."

Hinata looked over at Riku while he spoke and downcast her eyes once she heard his words. After a moment of thinking it over she asked. "Who's Nobody are you?"

Namine opened her mouth to answer but then quickly closed it. "I-I can't say. DiZ told me not to."

"Of course he did." Hinata sighed.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation and DiZ walked into the white room.

As he entered, Hinata asked. "Did you like the ship?"

DiZ momentarily stopped walking and nodded, "Yes, a different design than I normally see but still durable. Ben seems to be a rather competent navigator."

She nodded and chuckled, "Yeah, once you get past his constant chatter, he's pretty great." A small figure coming through the closed door caught her attention and she noticed Jack floating into the room. She smiled as he bounded towards her, his tail wagging.

"What is that?" Namine asked, stepping forward.

Hearing her voice, Jack turned and floated up to Namine; sniffing her hand as she held it out for him.

"Jack," Hinata told her, "I got him a few months ago."

Namine smiled and giggled when Jack licked her cheek. Wiping her wet cheek, she replied, "Well he's adorable."

"Would you care to see the rest of the mansion?" DiZ spoke up, getting to the point.

Hinata quickly turned towards him and nodded, "Very much so. I really want to see Sora."  
DiZ nodded and turned back to the door, beginning to walk towards it. "All in good time." He assured her.

The group followed DiZ out of the white room back into the main foyer of the mansion. He walked across the second floor towards the other end of the balcony where another lone door was positioned. Entering the new area, they found themselves in a small library. The walls were covered with filled bookshelves and in the center of the room was a table stacked with various papers and pencils.

"Reminds me of Doc's study." Hinata commented to Riku as they walked inside.

"It won't for long." He whispered back, getting a slight confused look from Hinata.

"Stand near the wall." DiZ told them, waiting for them to comply before heading to the table in the center of the room.

Hinata tried to look over his shoulder as he picked up a pencil and began drawing something on one of the pieces of paper. As he finished, the floor beneath him suddenly began to glow a bright light. He walked back towards the wall, unfazed as the room's once carpeted floor disappeared to reveal a stairway leading into a lower level.

"What in the world?" Hinata whispered, walking towards the edge of the floor, looking down into the hidden room beneath.

The old decrepit look of the rest of the manor was not at all evident in the revealed area. The walls and technology suddenly seemed to morph into something akin to a sci-fi movie. Everything was made of metal and small lights were built into the walls.

"You didn't think we were keeping Sora locked away in that run down mansion, did you?" DiZ asked, already descending the stairs.

"Uh… no," Hinata admitted, rubbing the back of her neck as she followed the others down the steps. "I don't know what I was expecting honestly, but definitely not a secret hi-tech base under an old house."

DiZ chuckled as he walked across the new room towards a metal door that slid open as he approached it. He walked through the door and waited for everyone to follow him in, before explaining, "This is where we monitor Sora's life signs and the Organization."

Hinata walked in beside Riku, looking around the dark room. The walls were the same metal as the previous room but most of the lights were off. The only illumination came from a large machine that seemed to be a computer with multiple screens all piled on top of each other. Just looking at it was causing her eyes to strain.

"How often are you down here?" She asked DiZ, "I can't imagine you can stare at all those screens for long."

"Your eyes learn to adjust." He told her, walking towards another door on the other end of the room. "Sora is through here."

Going through the door they entered a large room that was completely bare. Hinata looked around the area, wondering what they used it for, but didn't have a chance to ask as they walked through yet another door leading into a hallway. The walls were completely white as small blue lights created a small path along the floor. On one side of the lights were large white pods that lined the hall. Hinata stared up at them as they walked and then came to an abrupt stop when she noticed that two of them were filled.

"Donald and Goofy?" She asked with her voice quiet as she stared up at them. Both of them had their own pod, floating inside and were seemingly peacefully asleep. "How are you keeping them asleep? Do they know they are in there?"

"Most likely they do not even know that they are in slumber." DiZ told her. "As for how they are remaining that way, there is something of a sleeping serum inside the pod; completely safe I assure you." Continuing to walk forward, he told her, "Sora is in the next room."

Namine and Jack followed after DiZ, but Hinata continued staring up at Donald and Goofy, unable to move. She only glanced away when Riku lightly grabbed her arm.

"Come on, Sora's through here." He told her.

Hinata glanced at Riku before looking back up at the pods. "Will they be alright?" She asked him.

Riku looked up at Donald and Goofy, standing in silence for a moment before nodding, "I know they will. That's why we're here after all."

"Yeah," She nodded, reluctantly looking away and following Riku into the next room.

Going through the door they entered a large round room that was completely white and in the center stood a larger pod than the ones in the hall. The entire thing was an opaque white almost looking like a closed flower with its petals layered on top of each other. Beside the pod were wires running through the floor into a computer and a small chair.

"Sora's in there?" Hinata asked, slowly walking forward.

"Yeah," Riku nodded.

"Ever since we met at Castle Oblivion I have been monitoring him." Namine spoke up, walking towards the computer. "I have slowly been putting his memories back to the way they used to be." She sighed and placed her hand along the pod. "It's taken a long time."

"And there is still much to do." DiZ finished. "Retrieving the memories from his Nobody has been far more strenuous than we had initially anticipated."

"Roxas, right?" Hinata asked, not taking her eyes off the pod. "Can… can I actually see Sora?"  
Namine shook her head, "I can't open the pod itself, but you can see him on this monitor." She stepped aside and motioned her hand towards her computer.

Hinata glanced over at Riku before reluctantly moving towards the screen. On a small corner of the screen was surveillance footage from inside the pod. There in the center of it floated a young boy with spikey brown hair.

"He… looks familiar." Hinata whispered and then sighed. "But even seeing him I can't remember anything about him."

"Hopefully everything will come back to you eventually." Namine assured her. "If I do this right, everything should go back to the way it used to be. It will be like Sora just went away for a little bit."

Hinata nodded and looked to Namine, "Thank you for trying so hard. Especially for someone you don't even know."

Namine nodded and forced a smile, "Of course."

"Now that the tour is finished," DiZ interrupted, "It is now time for Hinata to make a decision."

"Me?" Hinata asked, turning towards him.

"It is up to you whether to believe in our cause or not." He told her. "You have seen this entire facility and what we are trying to accomplish. Do you want to be a part of it?"

Hinata looked up at the pod Sora was inside of. With a small nod, she replied. "I do. I might not remember Sora right now, but something tells me that we were once friends." Walking a few steps towards DiZ and Riku, she finished, "So just tell me what I can do. I want to help in any way I can."

Riku gave a small smile as she spoke and DiZ asked, "And what of the Organization? You have had past dealings with them. Are you prepared to do what is necessary?"

"I-I am." She nodded, averting her gaze, "If there's a way to stop that group I want to do it; but I'm still trying to come to terms with Lea and Isa becoming members."

"Those people are no longer the friends you remember from your childhood." He reminded her.

"I know," She admitted, "I just… a few days ago when Isa and Braig came to Montressor to try to take me back to their world, I had a chance to shoot Isa; but I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"That's a form of weakness that we cannot afford when dealing with the Organization." DiZ informed her, his voice almost harsh.

Hinata looked away, her cheeks flushed, and Riku stepped forward, speaking up. "I'll handle Saix and Axel. Hinata won't have a problem with the other members, right?"

"Right," She reluctantly looked back at them and nodded. "I told Xehanort years ago that I never wanted anything to do with his Organization. I don't know why he's still trying to get me to join."

DiZ narrowed his eye and asked, "What makes you believe that is what he is trying to accomplish?"

"That's what they said when they came to Montressor." Riku told him. "Xigbar said that they were trying to recruit new members."

"He simply told you that?" DiZ asked, shaking his head. "It is unlike the Organization to give away their intentions so readily. I suspect there is another plan afoot."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, stepping forward. "Why else would they send two people that I knew growing up?"

"Perhaps to encourage you to believe their lies." DiZ offered, pulling out his hands from behind his back to reveal a black coat in his hands. "In the future, it would be wise to wear this cloak. The Organization is going to pursue you. They will sneak up on you if they sense your presence. This cloak will dull their senses and keep you hidden." He held the coat out for Hinata to take.

Hinata glanced over at Riku and he motioned his head towards the coat. Hesitantly, she began slowly walking forward and grabbed the black coat from DiZ. She held it out in front of her and felt her heart twist. "Is there another way to stop them from finding me?" She asked, ignoring the frown she got from Riku. "It's just… this is the same thing that the Organization wears and…"

"Hinata, it will keep you safe." Riku interrupted.

"I understand your withdrawal and hesitation." DiZ told her. "Nevertheless, Riku is correct."

"But you and Namine aren't wearing them." She pointed out. "How do you stay hidden?"

"Hinata…" Riku mumbled, slightly frustrated.

"Namine is a Nobody," DiZ reminded her, "There is no heart for the Organization to sense. However, they can sense my heart but they cannot place who it belongs to. I have gone through many lengths to keep my identity concealed from them." Seeing the frown appear on Hinata's face he added. "There may yet be a way to compromise." Hinata looked up at him with curiosity and he continued. "The purpose of the cloak is protection from being devoured by darkness; which thankfully is not a problem you face. The perception filter that is laced into the fabric, however, may be able to be put into an external form."

"What exactly does that mean?" She asked.

Bringing his hand to his chin, he thoughtfully replied, "At the present moment, I am not sure; but with further research it could lead to you not being required to wear the cloak." He brought his hands back behind his back and told her. "For now, it would be wise to wear the coat until I can conjure another solution."

Giving a slight scowl at his answer, Hinata sighed and nodded, "Alright, I'll wear it for now."

"Do you have any news on Roxas?" Riku asked once the coat had been settled.

DiZ sighed and shook his head. "Unfortunately no. The Organization is keeping him on a rather tight leash. I believe they can sense our intentions."

"There is something about the newest member that worries me." Namine spoke up, walking away from Sora's pod with Jack on her shoulder.

"That Xion girl I fought with at the Beast's Castle?" Riku asked her.

Namine nodded and placed her hands in front of her. "Yes, I don't know how yet; but something about her seems connected to Sora."

"Why are you only now informing me of this?" DiZ asked.

"I wasn't sure before." She admitted, "And it's possible I may still be wrong; but every time I see her something seems different about her." She looked up and assured them. "I will continue looking into it."

"Inform me the moment you have more information on her." DiZ told her, before looking up at Riku and Hinata. "In the meantime, I have a mission for both of you."

"A mission?" Hinata asked, excitedly.

"Already?" Riku asked a small smile on his face. "What is it this time?"

"There will be time for full explanations when you are on route to the planet; but the place you are going to is named, Game Central Station" He informed them.

"Game Central Station?" Hinata repeated, "What kind of world is it?"

"I have never been there myself, so there is little for me to tell you. It is, however, a world within a world." He replied.

"What does that even mean?" Hinata asked.

"While we speak your navigator is installing a magic initiative; similar to the device in your gummi ship that changed your appearance from world to world." He told her, moving on from her question without explanation.

Hinata sighed, "Oh great, is there a way to program it to not make us look ridiculous when we go to other worlds?"

DiZ let out a small chuckle, "Unfortunately, no. Just know that it is blending you in with the local population." He looked towards Riku, "It may also change the look of your cloak, but you need not worry; the power of the cloak will still be in effect."

Riku nodded, "Alright. When do we leave?"

"It may yet take a while longer for your navigator to install the device. In the meantime, I suggest showing Hinata around Twilight Town to acquaint her with her new home."

Hinata smiled, "I like that idea." She glanced over at Namine and Jack. "Can Namine come too?"

"I'm not allowed to leave the Mansion." Namine told her, getting a saddened look from Hinata.

"You've never seen Twilight Town?" She asked.

"The Organization often traverses through the streets of the town." DiZ explained. "If they were to get their hands on her again; there are many things they could force her to do that would shatter everything we have worked for."

"I'm sorry." Hinata told her.

Namine gave her a small smile. "It's alright. I mostly spend my day drawing anyways; so there isn't much need for me to go outside."

"You're allowed out back, right?" She asked. "Maybe we could fix it up and plant a garden back there. That way you could at least take walks."

Her smile grew and placing her palms together in front of her, she chimed, "That sounds like a lovely idea."

"Come on," Riku lightly grabbed Hinata's arm and told her, "Let's get your coat on so we can get going."

"Alright," Hinata nodded before addressing Namine, "I'll see you later!"

"Yeah," She replied with a smile.

Jack noticed Hinata leaving the room and quickly floated off of Namine's shoulder, following after them. He came up beside Hinata, heading back up the stairs back to the rickety mansion above.

As they left the hi-tech rooms below, Hinata commented, "I can't believe all that stuff is just hidden down there. Where did DiZ get the money for that stuff? Did he build it all himself?"

"I have no idea." Riku admitted, walking down the old stairs to the main level of the foyer. "He's definitely got an interesting past, just refuses to share it with anyone."

"I wonder who he really is." She replied, glancing back towards the door that led to the pods.

"He seems to know who you are." Riku pointed out.

She nodded, "Yeah, it's strange. I feel like I know him too; but… I don't know how."

"Mickey felt the same way."

"Mickey?" She repeated.

"Yeah," He rubbed the back of his neck while he opened the door leading into the hallway. "When I was in the realm of darkness, I met King Mickey. He's a…"

"Mouse?" Hinata finished for him.

"Uh… yeah." He agreed, giving her a confused look. "How did you know that?"

"King Mickey used to visit my world when I was younger." She told him. "I mean, if it's the same guy. He would always show up out of nowhere and then visit with my dad and the other apprentices in the castle."

Riku stopped walking and waited for Hinata to look back at him, before asking, "Wait, so… do you remember everything about your past now? The last time we talked about it, you couldn't even remember what your world looked like."

Hinata leaned against the wall of the hall and sighed. "It's hard to explain. I have been getting bits and pieces back ever since I met Santa. The gifts he gave me would give me flash backs to certain memories; but it wasn't until those dreams I had after… well… the last time we saw each other, that everything started coming back to me."

"Huh…" Riku said to himself, walking again and opening the door to their room.

"What?" She asked, pushing herself off the wall and following after him.

"When you were having those dreams and remembering everything, Sora and I went through the same thing in Castle Oblivion." He told her, turning around to face her.

"You did?" She asked, "But wasn't that because of Namine?"

"Well yeah," He admitted, "But I still had to relive and work through a lot of things that I honestly wanted to forget. And during the same time that Sora and I are going through that, you start remembering everything about your past… I wonder if Namine's work somehow affected you too."

"Even though I was in another galaxy?"

"You were, but your heart might not have been." He pointed out. "Something that I've started to believe is that our hearts are connected, and not just you and me; but Sora and Kairi too."

"So you think while Namine was messing with your guys' memories, mine were being affected too? Do you think that's why I can remember everything now?" She asked.

"It doesn't seem too far-fetched does it?" He shrugged.

"No, it actually makes a lot of sense." She admitted, "It's nice to know there's actually an explanation now." Looking down at the coat in her hands, she sighed. "I better change into this."

"I'm glad you'll wear it." Riku told her, walking up to her. "I know why you don't want to, but I'd rather you be safe."

Hinata looked up at him and forced a smile. "Thanks… I just hope DiZ can come up with something else eventually."

"I'm sure he will." He assured her.

She smiled before turning and heading into the bathroom to change. Riku sat on the edge of the bed waiting for her, scratching Jack behind his ears as he floated in front of him. Within a couple minutes the door opened and Hinata came out holding her old clothes in her arms. She tossed the clothes on the bed and stepped forward so Riku could see her. The cloak reached down to her calves and was held together by a silver zipper starting above her chest and reaching to her thighs. Beneath the coat she wore tight black pants covered by tall boots with a small heel on the bottoms.

"Well, what do you think?" Riku asked her, looking her over. "Not too bad, is it?"

Hinata took off the black gloves and sighed, "I suppose it could be worse, not sure I appreciate having to wear heels. I'm surprised by how comfortable it is, especially with how it's so tight."

Riku stood from the bed and shrugged, "Yeah it's surprisingly comfortable." Reaching forward and grabbing her hand, he asked, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," She nodded with a smile.

Together, with Jack in tow, they walked out of the bedroom and back into the main foyer of the mansion. Riku led the way to the large double doors that led outside and pulled them open. The air was crisp yet warm, only sending a slight breeze against them as the door opened. Broken columns lined the walkway leading to the large black gate blocking their exit and beyond that was a thick dark forest.

"The mansion is really hidden away." Hinata mentioned as Riku pushed open the creaky gate.

"Yeah, most of the people in the town don't even know it's here." He informed her.

"I wonder who it used to belong to…" She mused, walking along with him as they entered the forest.

Small streaks of sunlight shone through the leafy ceiling above them making their surroundings dim and somewhat spooky. Jack wisped through the trees, barking happily as he explored the area, making Hinata chuckle.

"I feel like I haven't seen actual trees in a long time." She told Riku, placing her hand along a trunk as they walked. "I think the last time I saw a forest was when we were travelling in Prydain."

Riku gave a small laugh, "It has been a while then."

"Have you gone back there at all?" She asked.

He shrugged, "Haven't had a reason to. I wouldn't mind seeing it again someday though."

"I would like to go back." She agreed, "I wonder how Tylwyth is doing."

"She was that Fair Folk girl that travelled with you when we got separated, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, she was really sweet." She nodded, looking forward as they approached a tall brick wall.

A small hole was visible in the wall, big enough for them to fit through. Bending down, they went through it and when they stood back up straight, they found themselves in Twilight Town. A golden hue seemed to bask the entire town. Buildings were built close together over the brick streets and the chime of a trolley driving along a track rang through the air over the sound of bustling people. Various shops were scattered along the roads, calling out advertisements, trying to attract customers as people walked through the area.

"If we take this road we can head up to the train station." Riku told Hinata, pointing towards a bricked hill that led up to a tall clock tower in the distance. "But if you wanted to do some shopping, we could take the trolley to the shopping district."

"Let's just walk around here right now," She offered, "It's only midday right now, right?"

"Yeah," He nodded, "I do want to take you to Sunset Terrace to watch the sunset; but we can probably spend a couple hours around here first."

Jack barked happily, whizzing around them, wanting to speed off to explore, but Hinata placed her hand on his back and told him, "Try to stay by us, alright? I don't want you getting lost."

He whined in response but nodded his head, staying put. Hinata smiled and quickly scratched behind his ears, before reaching over and grabbing Riku's hand.

"So where to first?" She asked with a smile on her face. "Finally some time to just hang out."

"Yeah," He replied, giving her hand a squeeze and walking forward, "There's a pretty cool shop this way."

Hinata smiled as she followed after Riku, taking in everything they went to see. They bought Namine a new sketchbook and grabbed some ice cream while they walked. Taking the trolley, they entered the shopping district and went to almost every shop, looking at the different trinkets they had to offer. After a couple hours of walking and exploring Riku took Hinata to a sushi restaurant so they could eat dinner before heading to Sunset Terrace.

"I haven't eaten sushi since we were back on the island!" She told him, looking around the busy restaurant as they sat in their booth.

"I know," He noted, with a smile. "That's why I thought we could eat here for dinner." He glanced around quickly and asked, "Where is Jack?"

"I figured he wouldn't be allowed in here, so I told him he could explore the shopping district; at least the places we've already been." She explained. "He'll probably head back to the mansion later."

"Alright," He nodded, looking down at the menu. A few minutes of silence went on between them as they decided on their orders, before he spoke up again. "What would you have done if that galaxy border never went down?"

Hinata looked up from her menu, taken aback by the sudden random question. "Uh… I'm not sure." She admitted, "I really tried not to think about it honestly. I was sort of just taking it day by day; hoping that maybe the next day the border would go down and I could get home." Placing her menu on the table, she continued. "I'll admit that it was starting to get to the point where I was beginning to think I might never get back. Sam and I had tried finding a way to get the border down temporarily, but nothing we did seemed to work. And even Doc and Amelia began to doubt that the border would ever go down again. If I was never able to make it back… I don't know what I would've done. From the moment I found out I was stuck there I was getting things ready for the day that I could leave. I got The Highwind built, I started learning hand-to-hand and how to shoot a gun, and I even got those laser blades made for my gauntlets so I could fight Heartless easier." She ran her finger along the edge of her water cup and mused, "If I ended up having to live there forever, all that stuff I did would end up being pretty pointless."

"I think you knew in your heart that you would make it back." Riku commented and then smirked, "Would you have gone out with James eventually?"

Hinata snorted a short laugh, "What type of question is that?"

Riku laughed in return, "He was persistent enough. I wouldn't have blamed you."

"Yeah, well I might have eventually." She shrugged. "But I wasn't anywhere near that point when you showed up."

"You guys seemed really close when I saw you at the Benbo Inn." He pointed out. "I actually thought there was something going on between you and him when I first saw him."

Hinata chuckled, "We are close; but only as friends. Him and Sam were one of the only things that made being stuck on Montressor bearable."

"Do you like James?" He asked, sitting back in his seat.

"Not to the extent that he likes me." She admitted before giving him a look, "Why are you asking all this stuff about him? Are you jealous?"

Riku quickly looked away and defended, "Of course not, I was just curious."

Hinata leaned forward against the table and laughed, "Oh my gosh, you totally are!"

"What, no," He objected; his cheeks lightly flushing. "I just didn't know how you felt about him is all. He's painfully obvious about how much he likes you; so I wanted to know if you felt the same way."

"Uh-huh," She sat back in her seat with a knowing look and smirk. "Well you honestly don't have to worry, Riku. Like I told you on that Hawaii world… I love you." Her cheeks blushed when Riku looked at her. "There isn't anyone else I want to say that to; because there isn't anyone else I feel that way about."

Riku reached forward and grabbed her hand. "I love you too, and thanks… I guess I was a little jealous."

Hinata smiled back and chuckled, "I had a feeling."

"Are you ready to order?" A thin waitress walked up to their table, interrupting their conversation. Her blonde ponytails bobbed up and down as she cheerily talked to them and took their orders.

As the waitress went to retrieve their order, they continued to talk about various things; telling stories about things that had happened while they were apart and reminiscing about their past. Soon they got their food and continued to chat while they ate. When they were finished, Riku pulled out a blue card from his pocket and paid for the meal.

"What is that?" Hinata asked, watching as the waitress took the card to run up the tab.

"It's something DiZ gave to me." He told her. "Something like a credit card that works across worlds."

"How does it work?" She asked.

"I'm not sure," He admitted, "But it's never given me any trouble."

"Well cool." She smiled, "That definitely comes in handy."

Soon the waitress returned with the card and they were on their way. As they walked outside, they noticed the sky getting a tinge of orange as the sun was getting ready to set.

Grabbing Hinata's hand, Riku pulled her forward as he quickly led them out of the shopping district. "We'll have to hurry if we want to make it to Sunset Terrace before the sun sets."

Hinata quickened her pace to meet his and asked, "Have you been there before?"

He shook his head and stopped so they could wait for the trolley. "Not at sunset. I didn't want to see it until you were with me."

"Really?" She asked, her cheeks blushing. "Thank you, that's really sweet."

Riku smirked, "I have my moments."

The chime of the trolley rang through the air and came to a quick stop allowing them along with other passengers to board. Hinata and Riku were squeezed near the back as many people were trying to leave the shopping district. Riku held onto a handle hanging from the ceiling to keep his balance with his other arm holding Hinata close.

"Did you know you would see me again?" Hinata asked him quietly once the trolley began to move again.

"I always hoped." He told her, pulling her closer.

They remained quiet the rest of the ride back into the main town and once they were off they quickly made their way to the train station. The large clock tower of the station towered into the air and Hinata shielded her eyes as she looked up towards the top.

"It looks like there's a ledge up there." She pointed out. "As if someone could sit up there if they wanted to."

"Roxas does a lot." Riku told her, as they walked up the steps to get inside.

"He does?" She asked, following after him. "By himself?"

Riku shook his head, "No, usually Axel and Xion are with him. We've thought about getting Roxas when he is up there, but starting a fight from that high up doesn't seem like the best idea."

"Axel's with him?" She asked, before smiling. "That seems like something he would do."

"Yeah?" He asked as they stood in line to buy train tickets.

"Yeah," She chuckled, "He always used to befriend people that didn't seem like they had friends. Isa called them lost puppies."

Riku ordered the tickets and handed one to Hinata as they walked towards the boarding area. "Well out of the entire Organization I've met, Axel seems like the most normal out of them. He even helped me and Namine when we were in Castle Oblivion."

"He did?" She asked. "Maybe he hasn't changed as much as DiZ thinks."

"Maybe…" He mumbled back, waiting in line to board the train.

The station was vast in size with a vaulted ceiling. Multiple trains loudly blew their whistles alerting the crowd that they were either leaving or coming in. The train heading to Sunset Terrace rode in, gold details painted on its mostly brown exterior. Riku and Hinata waited for a majority of the other people to board before getting on themselves. They found themselves a spot near a window and watched Twilight Town whiz by as the train drove them to their destination. Soon the train slowed to a stop at the Sunset Station and in a rush the passengers exited the car. Riku and Hinata followed the crowd out to an outside station. Green vines grew along the walls and sign posts that read the train's schedule next to the ticket booth. Riku went forward and bought their tickets they would use to get back to the main town and grabbed Hinata hand as he led her towards a set of stairs. They walked down stone stairs that spiraled down from the station into the town.

The town was much smaller than the shopping district they had been at earlier. Homes and shops were built along a large hill and down the center a small stream of sparkling water reflecting the setting sun went under a set of bridges and a trolley that went from one end of the town to the other. Riku led the way down a brick path up towards a hill that stood above the rest of the town in the distance. Street lights lined their path, lighting the way as they walked. Many people were heading back to their homes and only a few stayed in the streets.

"It's a lot quieter here," Hinata commented as they began walking up the steep hill.

"Well part of that is because of how late it is." Riku reminded her, "But yeah, this part of town is a lot calmer than where the mansion is."

"Do you come here a lot?" She asked.

He shook his head, "No, haven't really had a reason to more than to just explore."

Reaching the top of the hill the brick road had ended and they stood on a thin grass with a short wooden fence outlining the edge of the hill. A stone clock tower that only stood about ten feet tall was in front of the fence; seemingly built to resemble the clock tower over the station back in the main town. Riku led Hinata to the fence where they could see the best view. Endless fields of bright green grass surrounded the outskirts of the town and tall stone spires held up the railway that rode to different parts of the world. A faint breeze brushed past them, cooler than before as they were at a higher elevation and the only sound was the splashing of a waterfall as the stream from the town fell into a river that travelled through the green fields. Hinata looked at the setting sun in the distance, creating a golden glow to cover the landscape and causing the sky to have a mixture of deep oranges and purples.

"This is beautiful." She whispered, looking over everything before them. "Like this might even be even more amazing than the sunsets back on the island."

Riku wrapped his arm around Hinata's waist and looked out at the scene before them. "Yeah, I think you're right." He agreed with her.

Hinata leaned her head against his shoulder and smiled. They stood in silence for several minutes; peacefully watching the sunset and taking some well needed quiet time together.

After a while, Hinata moved her head form his shoulder and glanced up at his face, "How well can you see through that sash?" She asked. "Can you see all the colors of the sunset?"

He gave a small smile, "Yeah, it's sort of like wearing sunglasses. Just a little tinted."

"Really?" She asked.

"Think of it as a two way mirror." He tried to explain. "You can't see my eyes, but I can see just fine."

She stared up at him for a moment before reluctantly asking, "…Can you take it off? Like just for a moment?"

Riku looked back at the sunset, thinking it over. "I can't take the whole sash off. The moment I do… I'll change." He looked back down at Hinata and added, "But if I really want to see something clearly, I can lift it up over one of my eyes for a short time."

Hinata instantly smiled, "Can you do it now?" She asked him.

He gave a short laugh. "We're supposed to be watching the sunset, remember?" He reminded her.

"It will only take a second." She pleaded but then sighed, "It's alright though, I get that it might be awkward; so don't worry about it." She turned her gaze back towards the sunset, watching as the golden sun slowly made its way under the horizon.

They stood in silence for a couple more minutes before Riku sighed. He reluctantly raised his free hand to his face and without looking away from the sunset; he lifted the black sash above his right eye, blinking quickly as the light hit his eye. The once dull surroundings suddenly popped in color as he looked them over with his now free gaze.

Hinata noticed his movement and leaned forward, trying to stay nonchalant in her actions. A smile appeared on her face when she saw the familiar teal color of Riku's eye as he looked over the sunset. Riku detected Hinata's gaze and locked his gaze with hers, feeling his cheeks flush the longer they looked at each other. Both of them smiled as he examined her now vibrant features that had been dulled under the sash. The familiar pain began trickling through him, reminding him of why he was wearing the cloth in the first place. Suddenly averting his gaze, he placed the black fabric back over his eye and took a deep breath of relief as the pain averted.

"Thank you." Hinata told him after a moment of silence, leaning on her toes to kiss his cheek.

"Yeah," Riku replied, looking down at her and smiling. "I forgot how red your hair is."

She gave him a slightly confused look and asked. "Does it look different under the sash?

He nodded, "Yeah it looks like the same color as Kairi's hair; but when I looked at you just now, it was a lot brighter."

"When did you start wearing it?" She asked him.

"It was a while after I left Castle Oblivion." He began to explain. "At the time Mickey was still traveling with me and I had made the decision to face Ansem." He was quiet for a moment, watching the last few slivers of the sun disappear behind the green hills before continuing. "We were walking together to Twilight Town so we could work with DiZ; but every day my heart started to feel… heavy." He pulled his hand back from Hinata and crossed his arms. "I guess heavy isn't really the right word… but basically, I could feel the darkness rising inside me despite everything I did to ignore it. When we finally got to Twilight Town I told DiZ what was going on and he gave me this cloth. I didn't put it on right away and honestly that was a dumb move on my part…" He paused for a moment and took a deep breath, before continuing. "Then one day I woke up and it felt like my heart wasn't even mine anymore; there was so much darkness. And then I saw my reflection and I looked like Ansem… So I found the sash DiZ had given me and put it on; then this black smoke surrounded me and I was suddenly myself again…"

"And you haven't taken it off since?" She asked.

"Once, to show Mickey what was happening." He replied. "But DiZ told me that I was lucky the sash worked after I had turned into Ansem. If I ever change again and I don't put the sash back on immediately… I probably won't be able to change back."

Hinata placed her hand on Riku's arm and asked, "But I don't understand, why was the darkness inside you rising when you had decided to face Ansem?"

"When I was in Castle Oblivion I fought Ansem, hoping that I could defeat him once and for all." He explained. "But once I beat him he told me that he was giving all of his darkness to me…"  
"Do you think that's what the rising darkness was?" She asked. "It's his darkness?"

"Well it turned me into him." He sighed. "I don't see what else it could be."

"But why does covering your eyes stop it?" She asked.

"Mickey thinks it's because eyes can't lie." He told her. "If anyone was to see my eyes they would be able to see the darkness inside of me no matter how much I would try to convince myself that I was fine."

Hinata felt her heart sink and she immediately wrapped her arms around him for a hug. Riku stumbled back a couple steps, not expecting her sudden affection, but regaining his balance he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this." She whispered to him. "It's not fair."

He tightened his arms around her and replied, "It's alright." Moving one of his hands, he placed it under her chin and tipped her face to look up at him. "I have you by my side now, right?" When she nodded he kissed her and told her. "Then I'm just fine."

Hinata's cheeks flushed and then she quietly teased, "And you said I was the sappy one."

Riku chuckled, kissing her again before releasing her and defending. "What, I can't have my moments too?"

Hinata giggled, "You can. I'm just teasing. You're not like that very often."

"It just makes it more special when I am." He pointed out before looking back out at the sunset.

As the last sliver of the golden sun disappeared behind the horizon, Hinata asked, "Are you excited to head on our first mission together?"

He smiled and replied, "I am actually. It's pretty lonely going out on my own to different worlds; no one to enjoy them with."

"Have you ever been to this 'world inside of a world'?" She asked, quoting DiZ.

He shook his head, "No, I don't even know what it's going to be. Game Central Station definitely sounds interesting though." Taking a deep breath, he asked, "Knowing DiZ, we're probably going to have to leave once we get back to the mansion. Is that alright?"

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, we can sleep on the way there so it's not really a big deal."

Riku turned away from their view of the now night sky and held out his hand for Hinata to take, "Well then, are you ready to go?"

She smiled as she took his hand in hers and replied, "If it's with you, I'll go anywhere."

"Geez that's sappy," He chuckled, walking down the hill.

Hinata scoffed, "Says the guy who just said the sappiest thing like two minutes ago."

He shrugged, making Hinata laugh and he soon joined in as they walked to the train station to head back to the mansion and their next mission.

*** Author's Note: I wanted to let you know the next two chapters are I suppose you could say special. The world they are heading to is from my husband's favorite Disney movie. In fact, he actually came up with the entire story line of what Riku and Hinata are going to do there. (We talk about the plot and things to do in this story like all the time) So, since he loves this world and came up with everything I actually let him do the writing for them. Now don't worry, I have been over him like a hawk while he has been writing these lol! Honestly he probably won't want to write for me anymore because I look over every detail; making sure he gets the characters right and the story right (which he did, like he's freaky good at it). But I am here to tell you that I absolutely love the next couple of chapters and he has done a great job! They will still be in the same perspective (3rd person objective) and his writing honestly isn't too different from mine; so I think you guys will like it too. I just wanted to give you all an FYI that the next two chapters are going to be a little bit different and that's why.

I really hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I look forward to hearing what you think. ****


	15. Game Central Station

Chapter 15

Hinata stood on the deck of her ship, her arms leaning against the railing to support the weight of her head in her hands. Far-off stars moved past the ship, and colorful galaxies and worlds could be seen in the distance garnishing the twilight of space.

Far behind Hinata, at the wheel at the back of the ship, Ben was humming happily to himself; amused by Jack's antics as he floated quickly from one end of the ship to the other. Jack was bouncing up and down as if he were bounding across the wooden deck at great speed. As he darted towards the door leading below decks, it opened suddenly as Riku burst through. Jack couldn't stop himself in time, and in a flurry of surprised barks that caught Hinata's attention he ended up flying right through a very surprised Riku.

Riku blinked his eyes a couple times in surprise with a smile as Hinata burst out laughing, before shaking his head and walking over to her. "Jack seems excited."

"Well, we have been on this ship for a while now." Hinata said, turning back towards the stars. "But I don't mind it so much. It's really nice to be traveling with you again, and I'm really glad we don't have to deal with Maleficent bossing us around anymore."

Riku rubbed the back of his head with a small grimace. "Yeah... I don't really like to think about her."

Hinata blushed slightly. "Sorry" she said, her eyes darting back and forth for a second as she tried to think of something else to talk about. "I don't really know what to think of DiZ yet. Something about him makes me uncomfortable. I'm also really confused why he wouldn't tell us anything about where we were going, other than to tell Ben how to get there."

Riku smirked. "We always seem to meet strange people. Anyways, that's why I came up here, DiZ called to tell me that we should be there soon."

"What?" Hinata asked. "And he didn't want to talk to me?"

Riku shrugged. "He said he wanted to keep it quick. All he told me was that we're going to some place called 'Game Central Station'. He said it's a world of game characters, whatever that means."

Hinata frowned. "I don't suppose he told you what we're supposed to be doing there?"

"Kind of" Riku said hesitantly. "He said we each need to win a medal there, and then went on about something about victory and heart's desires and his research. I guess I should have paid more attention."

"I wonder what sort of things we'll have to do to win the medals?" Hinata asked, her curiosity peeking through in her tone of voice.

"He didn't say. He sort of just hung up after that."

Hinata sighed and leaned back against the railing, and Riku joined her. Behind them they could hear Jack barking again as he continued to zoom around the ship.

After about a half an hour or so, a large shape started to appear in the distance; though it was dark and hard to tell what it was. Hinata's eyes perked up and she nudged Riku with her elbow. "Do you think that's where we're headed?"

Riku's face scrunched as he tried to make out what it was. Before he could figure it out though, Ben cried out "World AHOY!"

Hinata and Riku turned to face Ben, who sheepishly grinned a little. "Ahaha... just something I thought I'd try out. We used to say stuff like that all the time back on Flint's ship! Oh, but we should be there soon. Now, that Mister DiZ told me very clearly, 'you are not to land this ship on the world under any circumstances!', so I won't! I don't know if you knew, but we can just beam you right down to the world! Imagine that!"

Riku smirked. "We know that, Ben. Our Gummi ships did that all the time."

Ben smiled and laughed "Well pardon me then, I'll spare you the details!"

They turned and looked back at the world as it slowly came into view. It appeared, to the seasoned adventurer, to be a world like any other; a blue and green sphere marbled with white clouds shifting slowly across the surface.

"I guess we should go get our stuff ready" Hinata said, to Riku's approval.

"Nope! Not this time!" Ben shouted out at them. "DiZ told me to just beam you straight down, said you can't take your stuff with you! It's useless down there!"

Riku glanced over at Hinata, who shrugged in confusion. "Of all the details to forget to tell us" he mumbled, before calling out to Ben. "Any other secrets DiZ let you in on that we should know?"

"Nope! I don't think so!" Ben laughed. "I've lost my mind!"

Hinata looked at Ben and raised an eyebrow. "You got it back!"

"Yeah, I know! I was just saying it again for old time's sake!" Ben said. "Well, off you go now! Bye bye!"

Before Riku or Hinata could protest, they disappeared off the deck in a brilliant flash of light. Jack floated over to where they were, now quiet, and looked at Ben quizzically.

"Ok! You too!" Ben said, beaming Jack down with them.

When Jack arrived, Hinata and Riku were standing back to back, looking around in awe. They were in what appeared to be a massive hallway, so long they could barely see either end. Both sides were lined with enormous, ornate doorways that seemed to be fifty feet high. They were large, round holes with two short metal prongs sticking out above them, leading into what appeared to be winding tunnels of cables; as if they were staring into power plugs. Around them swarmed hundreds of colorful people of all sizes and shapes, creatures and humans alike. The two were so caught up in wonder at this strange place that it took a few moments before they turned to look at each other, each suddenly finding themselves with their mouths agape; though for different reasons.

Hinata was clad in dark gray metal armor, hefty but slick and streamlined. The shoulders and chest plate were thick and square, as were her knee-high boots, but the rest seemed to be designed with speed in mind. Long red light strips were tastefully placed along the thighs, upper arms, shoulder pads, and one was cornering the left side of her chest plate. She had a thick helmet on, with glowing red lights running over the top of the helmet and meeting with a red-tinted visor over the top half of her face. On her back was a large gun, a double-barreled beast that seemed that it would laugh in derision at anything that had the misfortune to be aimed in its sights.

Riku, on the other hand, did not seem to have fared with the same amount of luck. His long black robe was now a very dark shade of brown, and had ridges running from top to bottom like a paper wrapping the sides of a cupcake. As if this weren't enough, it was peppered with green, blue, and yellow dots that strongly resembled sprinkles. Not to be left out, the same sprinkles could also be found on Riku's new hat; a large, round, dark brown dome with what appeared to be a very generous layer of light purple frosting spread lovingly across the top.

Riku, not yet aware of his own garb, gawked at Hinata as she too gawked at him, stifling a laugh that Riku was too distracted to notice.

"Wow!" he said. "That looks really cool!"

Hinata, lost for words, put her hand to her face as it turned red. "Riku, you're a giant cupcake."

Riku looked at her for a moment, bewildered, before his face fell and he looked down at his outfit. "You've got to be kidding me!" he shouted, catching the attention of Jack, who flew up to try and lick the frosting.

Riku ignored Jack and looked around the world, trying to figure out what was going on. "I don't get it! You look like you're ready to take on a heartless army and I'm a sweet treat? What the heck? This has got to be some sort of mistake!"

Hinata was laughing now, but tried to regain her composure. "I don't know, Riku, maybe that's just how this place works. I like this look on you though, it's not every day you show off your sweet side!"

Riku's face darkened, but he didn't say anything. He and Hinata started looking around again trying to get their bearings, when suddenly they heard a voice behind them.

"Hey there! I haven't seen you two around before!"

They turned around together, and before them stood a blue hedgehog, about waist high. Hinata looked at Riku, who didn't seem in the mood to talk, before responding. "Yeah, we're... kind of new here. Not really sure where we're supposed to go."

The hedgehog laughed. "I bet you're some of those new expansion pack characters, huh? You'd think they'd at least tell you what games you're for! You should probably check with Tapper, but I'd bet you two go to Hero's Duty and Sugar Rush." Pausing for a moment, and looking at Jack, he continued. "I have no idea about that one though. You should probably double check with Tapper, that guy knows all these games better than anyone!"

Hinata smiled. "Thank you. Where would we find Tapper?"

"It's easy, down that way it's the third plug on your left! And since you're new here, I'll let you know the most important rule! Be careful when you're not in your own video game, because if you die somewhere else you won't regenerate. Ever! It'll be game over!" he said, before waving at them and running off in a blue blur.

"What was that about dying?" Hinata asked to nobody in particular, looking after the strange hedgehog as he vanished into the crowd.

Riku shrugged. "I don't know, nothing makes sense in this crazy place. Let's go find this Tapper guy so we can win those medals and get out of here."

Hinata nodded, and they made their way over to Tapper's. As they walked through the doorway, they saw a small cart in front of them. A few other people followed them in, and sat down in the cart. Following suit, Riku and Hinata sat down as well, with Jack in Hinata's lap, and the cart took off at high speed down the tunnel. A few seconds later, they reached the other end and got off, walking into what appeared to be a bar; the strong scent of root beer overwhelming their senses.

"Well" Riku started, "If the place is called Tapper's, and the guy we're looking for is named Tapper, I guess he'd probably be the guy running the place behind the bar."

"Makes sense" Hinata said, and they headed over.

"A couple of new faces!" Tapper greeted. "Now isn't this odd. I don't often see new faces without a new game getting plugged in."

Hinata and Riku looked at each other quizzically. "Look, we're pretty new here" Hinata said. "We have no idea what this place is or where we need to be. Can you help fill us in?"

Tapper dropped his glass in surprise, and the bar fell silent for a moment before slowly going back to its old activity.

"Well, isn't that a shame!" Tapper muttered. "They put so much effort into their graphics and frame rates and fancy designs these days they've forgotten the basics of makin' sure their characters know what's up. I'm sorry kids, ol' Tapper's been around a long time and things just aren't how they used to be." He sighed, and Hinata and Riku exchange glances; just as confused as ever. "Alright, here's what's up. Best I can figure it, you two are probably expansion characters. All these worlds here are different video games, we're in an arcade! Every day, kids and adults alike come here to play games and have fun; and characters like you and I help make sure they have a good time. Some of these newer games can have extra characters added to them later, try and keep people interested. I'm bettin' that's why you're here. Now, you two are going to need to find your way to your proper games before morning so you can get filled in on what you're supposed to do. It's not too hard for me to tell where you two are supposed to go, no sir, it's written all over you. You, young lady, need to head on over to Hero's Duty and talk to Mrs. Calhoun. She's a tough one, but she'll treat you fair. And you, young man, should head on over to Sugar Rush. I'm sure any of the fine kids over there can fill you in. Come to think of it, you look a little older than most of those characters. Who knows what goes through the minds of those character design teams these days."

Hinata smiled. "Hero's Duty and Sugar Rush? That's what the hedgehog told us. Where can we find them?"

"Hedgehog?" Tapper asked, tapping his head for just a second before his eyes lit up. "Ah, Sonic. He's helpful and tries to keep people advised, but as I'm sure you've noticed he doesn't tend to keep his attention on anything for too long. I'm sure he told you about the respawn situation at least, so I won't go over it again. Just be careful out there! As for your games, Sugar Rush is straight across the power strip from here. Hero's Duty is out and to the right a ways, right next to Fix-It Felix Jr. and Pac-Man, it shouldn't be hard to find.

Hinata nodded and thanked Tapper, and the two turned to leave. As they neared the door, a pink ghost floated over to them. "H-hi." she said sheepishly. "I'm Pinky. I like your p-pet doggy."

Hinata looked over at Jack, who had floated over to Pinky and started nuzzling her. "Oh drat, I forgot to ask where Jack's supposed to go."

Pinky's eyes shifted nervously. "Well, wherever he goes, make s-sure he stays away f-from Pac-Man. He likes to e-eat us g-ghosts and just leaves our e-eyeballs. Your doggy is too cute, i-I don't want him to get e-eaten."

Hinata looked back at Jack quickly, horrified at the thought. "Thank you so much, Pinky. I'll keep him safe with me. Come on Jack!"

Jack barked and joined Hinata and Riku, and the two waved goodbye to Pinky before returning to Game Central Station and making their way to their respective games. They stood in the middle of the large hall, looking back and forth from each other to their entrances.

"I guess I'll see you later, Riku" Hinata said with a concerned expression on her face.

"Yeah, I guess so" Riku grumbled.

"Oh Riku, don't be that way. I'm sure whatever is over there will be easy for you. Tapper said these are all just games, so it'll probably be a lot of fun!"

Riku sighed in defeat. "Look, I'm not mad at you. I don't get why you get to go somewhere all cool while I ended up dressed up as a candy."

"I don't know either" Hinata said. "But we might as well make the best of it. I don't think wherever I'm going is going to end up being very friendly. I don't think they give out armor for a day on the beach!"

Riku smirked a bit. "I suppose not. I'll try to make the best of it. I'll see you later Hinata."

He gave her a quick hug and then they each turned to go their separate ways; both unsure of what lay ahead of them.

Hinata walked tentatively towards her entrance, and as she got closer she found herself becoming more and more aware of how desolate it was. Looking around, all the other paths had at least one or two people milling about; but the entrance to Hero's Duty was empty and alone. Nervously, she sat down in the tram seat and took the ride. It was quick and unexciting by any stretch, and when she arrived she found herself in a large room just as empty as the entrance had been, without a soul in sight.

Taking a moment to look around and get her bearings, Hinata eyed the large room. Up ahead was a giant door, at least two stories high. It looked like it would split in two and slide left and right to open, but right now it was shut tight. To the right was a hallway with a red light scanning the entrance, and above it was a sign that read "NPC Only!". On the other end of the room was a similar passageway, though that one had a staircase immediately behind it. Up near the ceiling above the opening was a large glass window that looked like a mirror. Hinata eyed the red beams in the hallways with some apprehension, unsure whether or not they would be safe to pass through. Instead, she shook her head and walked over to the giant door, examining the seam in the center.

To the left of the door was a small pillar topped with a big red button, labeled "Start". Hinata shifted her gaze between it and the door, and was slowly stretching her finger out towards it before she heard a loud set of clicks behind her.

"Unless you're looking to fill a bug's stomach with your own corpse I suggest you step away from that button now."

Hinata put her hands up in the air and turned around slowly. In front of her stood a tall blonde woman in armor similar to her own, holding up a sizable and dangerous looking weapon aimed straight at Hinata. The woman eyed Hinata before speaking again.

"I don't know who you are or what you're doing wearing armor for my platoon, but you had better get explaining before we find out whether or not you belong here the hard way."

Hinata flinched subtly, not liking the sound of that. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any trouble. I'm new around here and am looking for someone named Calhoun? I need to win a medal here, somehow, and a man named Tapper told me to find her."

The tall woman lowered her gun a bit and rolled her eyes. "You're after a medal? Tough luck, bean sprout. I'm Sergeant Calhoun, I'm in charge here, and there's no way you're going in there with the Cy-bugs. You'd get torn to shreds faster than you could wet your pants."

Hinata scowled. "But-"

"No buts here, sister, my say is final. You still need to explain what you're doing wearing platoon armor."

Hinata's face was red with fluster, and her eyes darted back and forth as she tried to think of how to explain what was going on. Thankfully, another voice called out from the stairwell to save her, at least temporarily.

"Now just what is going on out here?" The voice asked, but in a kind and genuine tone. Calhoun's face softened a bit as she turned around, and a short man wearing jeans and a blue hat came walking out from the stairwell. "Jiminy Jaminy!" he cried out when he saw Hinata, "are you a new character here? Well, isn't that just something! When did she get here, Tamora?"

Calhoun's face harden again a bit as she turned a piercing gaze back towards Hinata. "I don't know, Felix, I've never seen her before. She was about to open up the gate and head into the battlefield!"

Felix shook his head. "Oh my land! Now listen here sister, that is a bad and dangerous idea! Why, last time anyone went in there when they weren't supposed to it almost destroyed half the games here!"

Hinata looked back at the door uncomfortably. "Look, I'm sorry. Let me explain."

Felix nodded politely. "Please do!"

"I'm not from around here, and I don't want to stay here. My friend and I were sent here on a mission, and all we were told was that we each had to win a medal to help someone with his research. He didn't tell us anything else. When we got down here, I was wearing this armor all of the sudden. I don't know why, but Sonic and Tapper both said I looked like I belong here." Hinata explained, directing most of her attention to Felix.

Calhoun grimaced. "Look kid, I don't know why anyone would send you after a medal here, but you're out of luck. Nobody goes in there without a full team, and all my boys are out taking a much-needed rest from this hellish bughole before we're back at it again when the arcade opens up in 7 hours. You try it alone and you're deader than a flower in a lava flow."

Hinata stood for a moment, weighing her options in her head before looking back at the big door. "I have to try it, I don't think DiZ will take no for an answer. Besides, I've been through a lot already. I can take care of myself."

"I don't know how many times I have to say no before you get the picture." Calhoun said firmly. "You're not going in there, alone or otherwise."

Hinata scoffed silently and looked back towards the gate again with a face of defiance, but it slowly melted away the longer she stared. "Can I just wait until the guys are back and go in with you all next time?"

"No" Calhoun said, still firm but not as harsh, "My boys only go in there when we've got a player controlling the first person shooter, and most players don't make it to the medal. Even if they did, they would get it, not you. The player gets the reward. Not to mention, the last time we had someone who didn't belong he caused serious problems."

Hinata sighed in defeat, looking at the two as she tried to figure out what else she could possibly suggest.

Felix smiled at Hinata, his eyes suddenly bright with an idea. "Say, here's a thought! This game has got an easy mode, hasn't it?"

Calhoun looked over at Felix. "Yeah honey, but that's not the problem. I'm not letting her in there without a team."

Felix's blue eyes twinkled as he spun a small golden hammer around in his hand. "Well, how about we help her out? Why, I bet she could go talk to Ralph and get him over here in a jiffy! You know Ralph, why, he's always trying to help out."

Calhoun's displeasure at the thought was worn as obviously on her face as the gun on her back, but her gaze was locked on Felix's soft smile and her resolve slowly wore away. "Alright Fix-it, if she can get Ralph over here we can give it a go." Turning towards Hinata, she warned "You'd better be on your toes, though. If I get the impression you're all talk and no action we're pulling outta this mission faster than a hedgehog in a cannon."

Hinata smiled. "Thank you. So where do I go to find this Ralph fellow?"

Felix rubbed his chin for a moment. "Oh, well you know, our game is celebrating its 32nd anniversary. I'd be there for it too, but Tamora and I are celebrating a little anniversary of our own. Go back out to Game Central Station, and look for 'Fix-It Felix, Jr.', right across the hall. Ralph's probably at the penthouse with the rest of the gang enjoying some de-licious cake."

Hinata thanked them both again, and headed back out to the terminal. As she walked out from the huge passageway, she gazed for a moment in the direction of Sugar Rush. "I wonder how Riku is doing over there" she said ponderously, "I sure hope it's going better for him than this has been for me."

Riku's tram ride into Sugar rush had also been a lonesome affair, though Riku didn't mind. Once he arrived, he stepped impatiently off the tram car, ready to get a move on. As he walked quickly through the doorway, he found himself stepping out into a large and colorful world made entirely out of candy. Powerful, sugary scents filled the air, and suddenly Riku found that just breathing was delicious. Looking around a little closer, he found that he was at the top of a tall, rainbow-striped ramp leading down into a road through what appeared to be a candy cane forest, and in the distance past this were mountains that seemed to be made from several bakeries worth of confections. To his left was a large valley with giant words spelling out SUGAR RUSH, and atop a nearby hill stood a large castle. Indeed, it took Riku's most stubborn force of will to keep his grumpiness firmly entrenched, and he quickly managed to ignore the tantalizingly tasty opportunities spread before him.

"I can't believe I got sent here, of all places. As a cupcake!" he groaned, kicking what appeared to be some sort of hard round candy. Much to Riku's surprise, as the candy began to roll down hands and feet could be seen flailing around it as it let out a very astonished, yet somehow incredibly dull, scream as it tumbled all the way to the bottom. Riku chased after it, stooping down beside the candy once it had landed. It was a small, green candy, but it had eyes and a mouth. It had tired looking circles around its eyes, almost like layers, and it sat there breathing heavily for a moment.

"I didn't realize you were alive" Riku noted, continuing to look over the strange green confection.

The green candy sighed. "I get that a lot" he said dully. "I'm Sour Bill, her majesty's royal servant."

Riku looked around. "Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Riku. What is this place?"

Sour Bill's eyes widened, as if he were surprised, but his voice sounded as dull and disinterested as ever. "This is Sugar Rush, a cart racing game. I've never seen you before, but you seem dressed up like a racer."

Riku looked down at his costume with a grimace. "This is what the racers look like? Really?" He looked back at Sour Bill. "Well, I'm here to win a medal. I guess I'm supposed to win a race, or what?"

Sour Bill eyed Riku up and down, trying to make sense of what was going on. "I'll take you to see the Princess, er, President. She's the one in charge of the races. Follow me."

Sour Bill immediately turned and started plodding his way towards the castle, and Riku followed him. It wasn't an incredible distance, but his candy companion's slow pace made it feel like a long walk. Sour Bill didn't seem like he was any more interested in conversation than Riku was, and there wasn't a word between them the whole way. There was however, very loud and upbeat music playing constantly, a quick and snappy theme that seemed to get louder the closer they got to the castle.

They finally reached the top of the hill and entered the castle, and Riku followed Sour Bill all the way to a pair of large doors before the silence between the two was broken.

"Here we are" Bill droned, before opening the doors. "Her Majesty, President Vanellope Von Shweetz."

Riku peered into the bright pink room, down the long hallway lined with pillars, the throne at the end. It was a rather ornate design, but the chair itself almost looked like a race car. As Riku came closer, he could see a young, black-haired girl sitting in the car.

"Welcome to my palace, oh visitor!" She said playfully, with the tone of child-like regalia. "What brings you to my lands, oh great big cup-cakey one?"

Riku scowled a little. "I was sent here to get a medal" he stated bluntly.

Vannelope's eyes twinkled. "If you want a medal, you must race for it!"

"Fine, fine, whatever," Riku blurted. "Just show me where to go so I can get this over with.

Vanellope's expression changed, from her playfully regal demeanor to a sort of mischievous smile as she laughed. "You sure are a grumpy one! Why would a cupcake want to be bitter?"

Riku shot her a glare. "I'm not a cupcake!"

"Well, you sure look like one! Come on, lighten up! It's not so bad being a cupcake!" she teased.

"Look, I'm here to get a medal. I don't care if I have to be a cupcake, or race, or whatever. Can we just get this over with?" Riku said with a scoff.

"All right all right, ya big diaper baby!" Vanellope said with a grin, waving him to follow her. "Come on this way, we'll make you a car!"

Riku shrugged hopelessly and followed Vanellope through the castle. It was big and roomy like any other castle, but unlike most castles many of the rooms seemed completely empty. The floors of the halls were covered in faint skid marks, as if tiny cars often raced through the halls and someone kept trying to wash away the tracks.

His curiosity finally overcoming him, he spoke up. "So is racing all anyone does around here? Even in the castle?"

Vanellope turned and gave him a funny look. "Uh, doi! This is a RACING game, you know! It's kind of the point."

Riku seemed annoyed with her tone. "What is with this place? Everyone keeps referring to all these places as games, but how can you all just play around all day?"

Riku's question caused Vanellope to stop in her tracks and turn around. "You really don't know anything about this place, huh? Oh geeze. Look, this is an arcade. Sugar Rush is an arcade game, it's our job to keep the game going."

"So you're telling me you're all just programs? None of you are real?" Riku asked in amazement.

"We're real enough! Besides, you're here, ain't ya?"

"I guess so." Riku said, murmuring to himself. "DiZ sure picked a strange place for us this time..."

They left the castle, and began another long walk towards a giant green building in the distance that looked like it was made of hard candy. Vanellope spoke up "Normally, we'd drive there and it wouldn't take very long. Don't worry, after you get a car we'll be getting around really fast!"

Riku didn't respond, and instead watched the path ahead of them. As they got closer to the building, the strangeness of its shape started to become apparent. The main building looked like a giant gelatin cake, with a water tower next to it with the top shaped like a tea kettle. Coming out of the side of the building were three massive pipes, each leaking different brightly-colored liquid out into the valley nearby. Behind the factory were three large silos labeled "Cocoa", "Sugar", and "Flour", and as they got closer there was a small guard shack with a candy cane gate. The front of the booth had a sign that read "Kart Bakery".

Riku stopped walking for a moment to take in the whole scene. "What is this place, a giant bakery? I thought you said we were going to get me a car."

Vanellope turned and started walking backwards. "Well yeah, but you have to make it first! Come on, we're almost there!" she exclaimed, motioning for him to keep following her.

They finally arrived, and there was a small door in front of them. The simplicity of it stood out to him amidst the quirky grandeur that defined the world, and he looked at the unassuming door with some degree of mistrust; as if he expected something ridiculous to pop out and harass him.

"Ok!" Vanellope said, her voice once again filled with excitement. "After we go in, you have to choose what kind of car you want to make. After that, you only have a minute to bake it just right, so be quick!"

Riku, his expression unchanged, shifted his glance between the door and his small guide. "Bake it?" he asked sarcastically.

"Just get in there!"

Riku sighed and opened the door, walking through it and then a large curtain that was directly behind it. He found himself in the center of a large round room, with seven giant portraits of different vehicles that seemed to be made of gingerbread. He considered these with some amused impatience, not sure he believed it.

"Welllllll?" Vanellope cut in, "which one do you want then?"

Riku looked back up at the karts, going down the list. The first one was red and stripey, like a candy cane, but it didn't seem very sleek at all. The next one looked like an ice cream cone with wheels, an easy pass. Riku wasn't sure what to make of the next kart's design, the front wheels were tiny and the rear wheels were huge and wide set. The body of the kart looked almost like a backwards snail, with a giant round cockpit in the front but tapering down in the back. He shook his head and rubbed his fingers on the bridge of his nose, unimpressed with what he'd seen so far.

Looking up, he continued his perusal. The next kart seemed promising. It was a low, slick looking machine with a spoiler in the back. It wasn't to Riku's usual stylings, but he was eager to be done with the whole ordeal and pointed at it. "I'll take that one" he said dryly.

Vanellope jumped up and down, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards it. "Ooh, good choice! That was my first kart too! Now come on, we have to go select it!"

They walked up to the portrait, where she motioned insistently for Riku to press it. He did so, and the curtain lifted up as a loud, silly voice boomed from overhead. "Welcome to the bakery! Let's make a kart!"

Riku followed an excited Vanellope over to what appeared to be the first of many platforms, and the voice spoke up again. "You have one minute to win it! Go!"

A small console with a steering wheel lit up as the voice continued. "Mixing!" it exclaimed. "Put the ingredients in the bowl, and throw away the trash!"

Riku looked up to see a scale-like platform ahead of him, with a bowl on one side and a trash can on the other. Already, assorted items had begun to be spit out of two candy cane tubes on either side, and they were bouncing along the platform. Grabbing the wheel, he turned it, tilting the platform and throwing the items. Riku turned the wheel hard right, and everything was directed into the bowl as he held it there.

"Uh, buddy?" Vanellope said, staring at the now-overflowing bowl. "You're not supposed to put the trash in there."

Riku shrugged as the timer ran out, and the bowl went down the conveyor and into a giant oven. They quickly went to the next platform, and the voice yelled out again. "Baking! Pump up the heat and hold the PERFECT temperature!"

This time, instead of a console, there was a giant bike pump. Riku pressed down on it, and a giant thermometer on the oven spiked up momentarily. Riku began pumping it furiously, watching as the thermometer maxed out at the top. Vanellope stood there as if in horror at the scene, mouth comically agape and lost for words. There was a ding, and the body of a car could be seen coming out of the oven and moving along as Vanellope pulled Riku along quickly to the next section.

This part of the conveyor had several large tubes, filled with all sorts of candies and a whole rainbow of frostings. Riku looked at it in exasperation. "Do we really need to do all this?"

The voice boomed out again as Vanellope shoved Riku up to the next platform, which seemed to be a giant air cannon. "Decorating!" it shouted.

Vanellope pointed insistently at one of the tubes. "Wheels first! You can't race without 'em!"

Riku rolled his eyes and shot the tube four times, each shot dispensing a wheel which was grabbed by a robotic arm and placed onto the car. After this, he let go of the gun and stood back, watching as the car made its way down the line over the next twelve seconds.

"What are you doing, Riku?" Vanellope exclaimed, "You need to finish the kart!"

Riku hopped off the platform and began walking towards the end of the line. "It said this part was just decorating. I have my car, I have my wheels. That's enough, right?"

Whatever answer he received was drowned out by the announcer, who shouted out "Congratulations! You did it! And here's your car!"

A door opened up as an unfortunate sounding fanfare played, and Riku's car rolled out and onto the floor. The gingerbread body of the kart was blackened like it had been burnt to a crisp, and was dry and cracked. Furthermore, it didn't look like gingerbread should and had what appeared to be eggshells, shoes, and other various bits of trash sticking out of it. Riku's nonchalance was the furthest possible difference from Vanellope's aghast look of disgusted horror.

Riku looked it over. "So is that it then? Can we do this race now?"

Vanellope looked at him incredulously. "Really? Are you sure you don't want to try again?"

He shook his head. "No thanks. I just want to get this over and get out of here."

"If you say so" she said. "Alright then, get in your car and follow me. Let's go down to the track!"

Riku sat down in his car carefully, and turned on the engine. It sputtered and popped, sending dark smoke out the exhaust, but it started none the less. Ignoring Vanellope's cringing, he slowly drove it out of the factory. Satisfied with at least his basic ability, Vanellope jumped onto the back of the kart and they made their way to the race track as she explained the rules of the event.

Once they made it to the starting line, she handed Riku a coin. "Alright, we've all got to pay our way into the race. You get in line, and when it's your turn you use the flipper to pay. It'll put your name up on the board and you'll be a real racer!"

Riku nodded and took the coin she gave him, and she skipped off to the front of the line. Riku looked at the kids ahead of him. They all seemed to be nine or ten years old, and were all dressed in different sorts of candy and sweets like he was. They'd all seen him, too, and each one was eyeing him suspiciously and doing a poor job of hiding it. One of the children, two spots in front of him, left his spot in line and walked over to Riku. He had blonde hair and what appeared to be a peanut-butter cup for a hat, but his matching brown racing jacket and pants were surprisingly cool looking despite it. He lifted a friendly hand towards Riku.

"That's a pretty cool looking cloak you've got there! Nice to meet you!" he said.

Riku looked at him, unsure of what to say. "I'm Riku. I take it you're one of the racers?"

The boy smirked proudly. "Sure am! The name's Rancis Fluggerbutter. You're dressed up pretty cool for being from a different game."

Riku wasn't sure whether he was being mocked or legitimately complimented. "Cool? Are you kidding me?"

Rancis nodded. "Yeah, people from other games all have pretty strange looking clothes. I can never tell what sort of candy they're supposed to be. You're pretty obviously a cupcake, but you're wearing it like some sweet trench coat. I like it."

Riku cracked a grin for just a moment, and Rancis ran off to put his coin in. Riku looked down at his coat again, trying to figure out how anyone could think something so ridiculous could be anything but. Hearing Rancis's name announced by the board, he walked up to the flipper and placed his coin on it. The device flung the coin high into the air, where a couple other flippers passed it along until finally it made its way into a giant golden trophy cup and announced his name. "Riku Grumpcake!" it cheered, materializing his kart onto the grid.

Whatever positivity had managed to sneak onto Riku's face thus far was completely obliterated when he heard his assigned surname. A dark cloud quickly moved across his face as he shuffled over to his kart and sat down in it, starting the engine.

Three lights above the track flashed red twice, and then green, and the racers all shot off down the road. Riku was near the back of the pack, the dark plumes of smoke blinding the racers behind him. He pressed the pedal down as hard as he could, and the engine revved up and whirred down the track with a loud squeal. The racers ahead of him heard the commotion and did their best to either block or navigate around him, with varying levels of success.

Speeding along, Riku passed over some special item boxes and a small button lit up on his dashboard labeled "BOOST". Looking behind him, he saw another racer had just lobbed a giant scoop of ice cream that was headed straight for him. He slammed on the boost button and looked back at the track ahead, eyes widening as he realized he was coming up on a sharp turn.

Cranking his wheel as hard as he could, the kart began drifting around the tight bend, shaking and rattling violently under the strain as other karts passed him on the inside of the turn. Gritting his teeth, Riku slammed on the accelerator once more and tried cranking the wheel even harder, when there was a horrifying cracking noise. The body of the kart had begun to break up, and the next few seconds went by quickly as the kart disintegrated and launched Riku into a mound of whipped cream.

He sat there for a moment, fuming as the rest of the karts went past effortlessly, until shortly afterwards Sour Bill drove up in truck. It looked like it was made out of cookies, with M&Ms candies for headlights, and instead of wheels it had tank treads make out of sour ribbon candy. Sour Bill looked at him with a blank face and blinked. "Come on" he droned. "I'll take you back to the starting line."

Riku stood up and brushed off the whipped cream before jumping onto the truck bed. Sour Bill seemed to be taking the long way around, and picked up a couple other crashed racers on the way. Each one seemed excited to see Sour Bill, but when they saw the dark expression on Riku's face there was inevitably a mutual desire for silence. The trip felt long and awkward, but eventually they made it back.

As Riku got off the truck, Vanellope came up to greet him. "Hey there, Captain Frumpsalot! How'd that burnt ol' car of yours do?"

"How'd it do?" Riku shouted. "The stupid thing fell apart underneath me, that's what! I fell into a pile of whipped cream!"

Vanellope tutted at him. "Tsk tsk, that's what you get for not putting any care into making your kart!"

Riku rolled his eyes at her lecture. "Yeah yeah, whatever. I raced. Can I have the medal now?"

She looked at him, wide-eyed in disbelief for a moment, before bursting out into laughter. "No way! If you want a medal, you have to win it! That's how it works here!"

Riku clenched his fists. "I can't win a race if my car sucks!"

"You can make another one! And do it right this time, okay? Come on, we can go in my car."

Riku huffed, but didn't argue. They drove in silence for a few moments before Vanellope spoke up. "You know, you don't have to have such a chocolate chip on your shoulder."

Riku was silent for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on" she retorted. "Look at you! All grumpy and mad at everything. What's so bad about this place, huh?"

Riku sighed. "Well, I'm a giant cupcake, for starters."

"Is that it?" Vanellope questioned. "'I'm a giant cupcake'", she said, trying to sound like Riku. "Come on, Riku. Look around you! You're in Sugar Rush! You fit right in here! If you weren't such a cranky buttface you'd fit right in. Even Rancis thinks you look awesome, and he's always trying to his best to look cool."

"It's not just that." Riku bit back. "Look, I know things are always perfect in this little candy land, but it's tough for me. This last year or two has been humiliating, and I've made mistake after mistake. Then, just when I think I've got dignity again I get sent to some strange candy place dressed up like a goofball!" Riku groaned, speaking again a bit softer. "Ugh. I have no idea why I'm even telling you any of this."

Vanellope smiled at him, but this time it was a genuine smile. "You know, for the longest time, I thought I was a glitch. Just a bunch of junk code that wasn't even supposed to be here. Everyone hated me, I lived alone in the trash under Diet Cola Mountain. And then I met my best friend ever, Ralph. In his game, he's the bad guy. He's been the bad guy for thirty whatever years now. But you know, he's not a bad guy. Ralph helped me realize that I wasn't a mistake, I was a real racer! And Ralph realized that he doesn't have to be a bad guy just because he's a bad guy."

Riku looked blankly at her. "You lost me."

"C'mon Riku, you know what I mean. Look, all I'm saying is that you gotta see things in a different way or you're going to be miserable forever. Mistakes, blah blah blah, whatever. You still need to have fun! A bit of good fun won't take away your dignity, only you can do that."

Riku stared off into the distance, thinking over what she said. The rest of the trip was wordless, and soon they found themselves once again at the door to the kart factory.

"Are you ready to do this?" Vanellope asked; her excited chipper back at full strength.

Riku looked up at the door with a determined grin. "Let's do this."

*** Author's Note: Thank you guys for reading! This is the first of two guest chapters written by my husband. If you are unsure, Riku and Hinata are in the Wreck it Ralph world. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! We look forward to hearing what you think! ***


	16. Sugar Heroes

Hinata had arrived at her destination, and was looking around. She was at a very small station, like an old-fashioned bus stop. To her left was a tall condominium, somewhat simple in design but very nice looking nonetheless. It was a red brick building with white trim, with the bottom two floors entirely white. It stretched high into the sky, perhaps as many as twenty floors, but it was very thin. Past it was a street, lined with much smaller but very cozy looking houses that were all made of the same bricks as the condo. To Hinata's right was a very large pile of dusty and dirty bricks, almost as tall as the tower. The bricks were strewn about it disarray, certainly not placed with care, and a large bulldozer rested at the base of the pile.

As she took it all in, she noticed flashing lights from the top floor of the tower.

"Well, Felix said they were all at a party. I guess I'll try that first." she spoke softly to herself.

Hinata walked over to the building and found the entrance, opening the door carefully. The style of the building struck her as odd; while it was designed with all the round columns and arches you would expect from a high-end condo, everything was blocky and looked like it was made out of very tiny cubes. She shook her head and looked for a way up, quickly spotting an elevator and pressing the button to call it down.

Moments later, there was a gentle 'ding' and the doors opened, and before her stood a very short man. His hair was very short, and he had a thick but well-groomed mustache adorning a face that looked to be quite accustomed to scowling. Indeed, in addition to his very nice purple suit, he was wearing quite the exasperated scowl at that very moment.

"Oh great. I was hoping Felix was back, but it's just another guest from another game!" he grumbled, tapping his foot.

"Oh, I'm not a party guest" Hinata explained. "I'm just here to find someone named Ralph."

The small man's eyebrows raised up a bit. "Ralph?" he asked in annoyed disbelief. "I have no idea why you would be looking for Ralph, but he should be easy to find. Just follow the trail of destruction and mayhem."

Hinata eyed him for a moment, and she couldn't help but notice that every time he moved, it was in very short, quick motions. It was a little hard to focus on, but he didn't seem to move so much as he was just instantly changing his pose; like a character in a very old video game. She blinked quickly once or twice to get her mind off of it.

"I kind of get the impression you don't like him very much" she pointed out.

"Well of course not." he bit back. "He is the bad guy. Every day, he destroys our home and throws me out the window. Every day, for 32 years!"

Hinata stared at him, unsure of what to say, and looked around the lobby awkwardly.

"I know, I know" the man said. "The building looks fine, but that's only because Felix fixes it. The penthouse is totally trashed right now, though, and the falling debris is destroying several floors below it. I don't know why you are looking for Ralph, but if you're from another game I wouldn't risk it. Part of the building might fall and kill you."

Hinata eyed him for a moment, paying attention now to the small shakes running through the building. "Thanks for the heads up" she said. "But I really need to find him. Felix and Calhoun told me I needed to come and get him, so that's what I'm here to do. If it helps any, I'm taking him away somewhere else, so he won't be able to destroy anything here for a while."

The man seemed to perk up a bit. He stopped scowling, and even though he didn't smile, the absence of his scowl almost made him look like he was beaming with joy. "Alright" he started, "come on, let's go get Ralph then."

Hinata stepped into the elevator with the tiny fellow, who still had never left it, and they slowly rode up to the top floor. It was a silent ride, though as they got higher Hinata started to hear some heavy thuds as the building quaked a little more noticeably. The doors opened, and they came out into a small hall. Ahead of them was a double door made of a frosted glass, through which many colorrful lights shone.

"Alright" her minute guide said. "Just follow me."

They opened the door and entered. The room was filled with dozens of little people, but they were all very happy and enjoying themselves. In addition to them were several other guests who all seemed like they were from other games, some of which looked unlike anything Hinata had ever seen before. In one of the back corners, on top of what appeared to be a steel-reinforced dance floor, was a giant man who seemed nearly ten feet high. He wore suspenders, with a single strap broken, and had wild red hair. He was dancing with a couple of the little people, and occasionally he would accidentally punch a hole in the ceiling. When this happened, some dust would fall and everyone but Hinata's angry acquaintance would laugh. One of the small people looked over and saw Hinata and her escort and came over quickly.

"Gene!" She shouted with a smile. "I am so glad you decided to come. It's almost time for the cake!"

Gene glanced over at the tall, redheaded man and grumbled. "If it survives this year, anyways."

"Oh! Who is our new guest?" She asked, switching the subject.

Hinata grinned sheepishly. "My name is Hinata. I'm not really here as a party guest, actually. Felix sent me to come get Ralph."

"Well it is a pleasure to meet you Hinata" the lady said. "My name is Mary. Let me go get Ralph for you!"

With that she scampered off into the crowd, moving strangely like Gene did. As Hinata watched, she noticed that all the small people there moved that way. In fact, the more she looked the more she realized that they were all very similar. "Who are all of you?" she asked Gene.

"We're called the Nicelanders." he said curtly.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment, Hinata not sure Gene was really looking for conversation. Thankfully, it was only a short moment later that Ralph came over. Hinata looked up at him in awe for a moment, feeling completely dwarfed by just how gargantuan he was. Glancing down at Gene, then back up at Ralph, her eyes widened a bit.

Ralph spoke up without much delay. "Hey Gene."

Gene's scowl returned. "Ralph."

"Mary told me you two were looking for me." Turning towards Hinata, he stuck out his hand in greeting. "I'm Ralph, pleasure to meet you."

Hinata went to shake his hand, though she could barely grab even a single finger. "Nice to meet you too! My name is Hinata" she said.

Gene butted in almost without delay, looking flatly at Ralph. "Felix and Calhoun sent her here to get you, Ralph. I don't know what sort of mess you've made, but you should probably get going."

Hinata looked up at Ralph. "I don't think he's made any mess."

Gene looked past Ralph for a moment, eyeing the debris on the dance floor with a small 'hmph'.

Ralph shook his head with a small smile. "Well, we better get going then." He turned and waved goodbye to the Nicelanders, before walking out of the room with Hinata. "I don't really fit very well into these elevators... we should probably go separately."

Hinata nodded and went on ahead, waiting for him down at the bottom. He arrived in the lobby soon after, and they began walking out towards the tram.

"Hey" Ralph started, "Sorry about Gene. He's sort of grumpy and he doesn't really like me. It's nothing personal against you, though."

Hinata laughed. "Yeah, he didn't really seem like the cheery sort."

Ralph thought for a moment. "So uh, Felix sent you after me huh?"

"Yeah, it's kind of a long story." Hinata said. "I'm on a mission for someone, and I'm supposed to get a medal of some sort from a game called Hero's Duty."

Ralph turned and looked at Hinata as they sat down on the tram. "Are you serious?" He asked, eyeing her armor. "What, have you seen the gamer get the medal so many times you want one for yourself now? I know my reputation is a little out of hand after I jumped games, but that does-"

Hinata cut him off. "No, no, I don't know about any of that. Really. I'm from a whole different world entirely; my friend and I were both sent here to get medals from different places. Calhoun didn't believe me at first, either, but for some reason Felix decided they would help me. Their only condition was that I had to come get you to come along."

As she spoke, the tram arrived back at game central station and the two stood up. Ralph looked at her with a bit of distrust. "If you're not from around here, why do you look like you're from Hero's Duty?"

Hinata sighed. "When our ship transported us down here my friend and I both got these costumes to help us fit in." She paused for a moment, and then giggled. "You should have seen my friend – he looked like a giant cupcake! I think he was supposed to go to some game called Sugar Rush."

"Sugar Rush?" Ralph asked with surprise. "There's no way that's a coincidence. Are you sure you're not just making fun of me here?"

Hinata looked at him, boggled. "I'm not trying to."

Ralph closed his eyes and sighed. Opening them, he looked down at Hinata and then back up at the entrance to Hero's Duty. "And you really do need to get a medal?"

Hinata nodded her head. "Yes, in fact I can't leave until I get it."

Ralph looked her in the eyes, trying to figure her out. "And you said you've talked to Calhoun and Felix already, and they're the ones that said to get me?"

Hinata nodded again.

Ralph stood back ponderously, trying to figure out if Hinata was being truthful with him. "I bet Calhoun really had to sweet talk Felix into it, didn't she?" he said, the bare hint of a smirk at the edge of his mouth, "He does have quite the temper."

Hinata looked back at him with a puzzled expression. "I-it seemed kind of the other way around to me, actually... Felix is the one who talked Calhoun into it."

Ralph smiled a big smile. "Yeah, I figured as much! Well, I don't think I have any choice but to believe you now. I can't believe I've got to go back to Hero's Duty!"

Hinata smiled inquisitively as they began their travel down the station. "Yeah, what's the deal with that? You keep making it seem like there was some big fiasco or something."

Ralph sort of half-sighed and told Hinata about the incident, how after thirty years of playing the bad guy with no respect or appreciation, he jumped over to another game to try and win a hero's medal and prove his worth to the Nicelanders. He had caused a lot of trouble along the way, but in the end everything worked out thanks to some help from some newly made friends. Even though it all ended up for the best, though, there were still a lot of strange rumors going around the Station that Ralph was dangerous or crazy.

The two were back at the big gate in Hero's Duty in short order. Felix and Calhoun were nowhere to be seen, and the two stood there for a moment in awkward silence. It wasn't but a moment later that Calhoun's voice boomed out from one of the nearby doorways as she walked out. "Wreck-it! Good to see you again. I see our aspiring warmonger managed to sweet talk you into coming along."

"Hello, uh, ma'am." Ralph said. "Good to see you too. Uh, where's Felix?"

"He's getting ready for the trip up the tower of hell that he so graciously volunteered us for. You should head up those stairs and grab one of Markowski's extra suits. It seemed to fit you well enough last time."

Ralph waved at her as he walked away. "Alright. I'll be back soon."

As he left, Calhoun turned and eyed Hinata again. "You really don't have any idea what you're in for, do you?"

Hinata shook her head. "No, but I don't exactly have the impression this is going to be very fun."

"This is your last chance to turn back, rookie. Once we go through those doors, you are committed. There's no turning back." Calhoun said, firmly but not unkind.

"Thank you, but I have to do this." Hinata said with new resolve. "I can do it."

Calhoun smiled. "That's the spirit, you might just have what it takes after all." Reaching to her back, Calhoun brought forward a large machine gun and presented it to Hinata, who stumbled forward a bit as it was dropped in her arms.

"Ooph", Hinata let out as she regained her balance.

"This is your weapon, don't lose it." Calhoun began. "It's fully automatic and you have infinite ammo, but you gotta reload it when it clicks. Just point it at the ground and hit the red button by the trigger."

Hinata looked at the gun and saw a small red button above the trigger, easily reachable with her thumb. "Got it. What's wrong with the one I've got?"

Calhoun looked at it and shook her head. "That thing's a greenwrecker. It looks fancy and might seem like a decent weapon, but the clip's small and the reload time'll have you seeing grandchildren before you can do anything with it. A lotta newbies who don't know any better have been gobbled up by Cy-Bugs trying to take that thing into a serious fight."

Hinata glanced at her reflection in a particularly shiny metal panel nearby, eyeing the gun as she muttered "Thanks a ton, DiZ..."

Calhoun looked over a backup pistol she'd had strapped to her leg, making sure it was ready to go. "These Cy-bugs are nasty things. They will try to eat you and everything around you, don't let that happen. And don't let them take a bite of your gun, either. These things turn into whatever they eat, so don't give them that chance."

Hinata nodded, looking over at the gate and wondering what waited for her on the other side. As she did, Felix and Ralph both came walking out. Ralph was now dressed in armor much like Hinata and Calhoun's, but Felix's seemed just a bit different. It looked like it was made of all the same materials, but instead of big, bulky armor plates like Ralph's it was very lightly armored. Felix was smiling and twirling his hammer on his finger.

"Well I'll be!" He said. "It looks like you're all ready to go, Miss Hinata."

Hinata gave an unsteady smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Calhoun looked them all over as they grouped together and gave a silent nod of approval. "Alright, no sense lollygagging around here then. Once I open these doors we've got to make a run for the tower across the bridge. Ralph, stay close. Any Cy-bugs get too close I want you to teach those filthy creatures why they call you Wreck-It. I'll take point, Felix, I want you to cover our right side. Hinata, you've got the left side. If anything gets past you, let us know immediately. And the most important rule: Do everything I tell you to do without hesitation."

The three of them nodded, with Hinata including her best "Yes Ma'am", which did not seem to impress Calhoun as she turned around. Taking a deep breath, Calhoun reached over and pressed the big button. There was a deep rumble and the ground shook for a second, and then a loud but short creak as the door opened in front of them. The two halves slid slowly apart, and ahead of them was a short tunnel of darkness. The group stepped inside, and the halves groaningly reintegrated behind them as several lines of fluorescent lights lit up the tunnel ahead, as another set of doors opened.

Ahead of them lay what appeared to be a devastated, war-torn city. Ruined buildings and large rocks and boulders were everywhere, straight lines leading from all directions to an enormous tower dead ahead. The sky glowed like a black-light, and bright rays of green shone all over. The sky was swarming with giant insects, which flew around madly. In some places, the swarms were so thick it was hard to see any light on the other side.

Hinata had only a fraction of a second to take any of this in, as the opening of the doors attracted the attention of many nearby swarms; which all began a quick and furious descent towards the group. Calhoun shouted at them to go, and they all began their mad dash towards the bridge. Hinata raised her gun and began to shoot at the incoming hordes, the Cy-bugs so thick in the sky it seemed impossible to miss. Many of Hinata's shot's flew true, Cy-bugs crackling and falling to the ground with a disgusting fizzle. No matter how many she shot, they never seemed to decrease in number. Glancing ahead towards the bridge, she saw they were only halfway there. She scowled, but jumped suddenly when she heard a loud screech in her ear.

Turning to her left, Hinata saw a Cy-bug had snuck up on her. Its mouth was opened wide, strange hideous teeth swirling around like a food processor. She stepped back and raised her gun, but suddenly it was sent flying into the sky with a loud crack as Ralph gave it a good punch in the side. Hinata sighed and nodded her head at him in thanks, the loud shrieks of the flying bugs drowning out Ralph's reply. Calhoun yelled out over the cacophony "Keep moving, people! We're almost at the bridge!"

Hinata grit her teeth and broke out into a run with the rest of the group, keeping up her fire as they ran. Several bugs made it past, but Calhoun shot down most of what she missed and Ralph was doing a good job dealing with any that made it too close; his giant fists cracking through their thick armor shells with ease. It was only a few minutes later that they reached the bridge, but to Hinata it had felt like an hour. She looked ahead again. The start of the bridge seemed to be the halfway point to the tower, but was so long that it actually seemed to go right up to the entrance. The swarms had for some reason seemed to lose interest in them, and as Hinata looked to the sky she heard an incredibly loud, shrill roar.

Calhoun looked to the sky with a grim look on her face, muttering something under her breath that Hinata couldn't quite make out. Felix looked at her, aghast at what he'd heard her say. "Oh my land! Now Tamora, could it really be that bad?"

Calhoun shook her head. "Worse."

The ground rumbled and shook, the bridge cracking as small bits fell off into the abyss below. Hinata looked at it nervously, hoping that it wouldn't break apart underneath their feet. Suddenly, a large black bug leg reached over the side of the abyss, slowly followed by two more. A giant Cy-bug crawled onto the bridge ahead of them, at least 60 feet high. Ralph, Felix, and Hinata all took a step back, and Felix spoke up. "I don't recall meeting this fella before."

Calhoun stepped forward, grabbing what looked like a rocket launcher off of her back. "This is a bonus mini-boss. The difficulty must have ramped up; game only lets it out when the players are on track for a high score."

There was no more time for chatter, however, as the giant Cy-bug began to slowly walk towards them, drooling what appeared to be an acid drool as it went. There were two large holes in the shell, right behind its head, and miniature Cy-bugs flew out in small clouds every ten or so seconds.

Calhoun blasted a rocket at it, sending it reeling back momentarily and causing it to release a slightly larger cloud of Cy-bugs. "Wreck-it, I need you to jump on that thing and do your best to crack that armor. Felix, you're on nurse duty. Hinata, I've got to shoot rockets at this thing and need you to keep those Cy-bug clouds away. Turn the dial on your gun to switch it to shotgun mode and keep those things away."

Ralph ran over to the Cy-bug and jumped on its back, and began pummeling away. With every hit, more clouds of miniature Cy-bugs came out. Some of them made their way to Ralph, and began to try to eat through his armor. Felix was hopping around like mad, shooting some of the clouds but kept close to Ralph, tapping him with his hammer constantly. Every time he did, Ralph's armor regenerated instantly, and Ralph kept up his barrage.

The rest of the mini Cy-bug's attention went quickly to Calhoun, whose rocket launcher was firing quick and loudly, explosions rocking the giant Cy-bug's legs and helping prevent its advance. Hinata did her best to shoot the incoming clouds, and was quite impressed by how well her shotgun seemed to be working. Finally, the giant Cy-bug's legs gave out and it fell forward with a loud roar, crashing to the ground. Ralph and Felix tumbled off the front; but on the way down Felix's hammer tapped the Cy-bug with a loud metallic "Glim!" sound. Felix and Ralph looked at each other nervously and ran away from it. The Cy-bug began to pulsate as its cracked shell wove back together and its legs began to grow back.

Hinata looked at the scene ahead of her in horror, when suddenly there was a massive explosion right in front of them and a cloud of smoke blocked their view. They stood there in the smoke, silently, listening to the loud screech of the Cy-bug as it slowly got quieter. The smoke cleared, and where the Cy-bug had been on the bridge was now just a gigantic hole. Hinata looked at the gap, thankful that the bug was gone but wondered how they would proceed now. Calhoun looked over the side and let out a hearty laugh.

"We won't be seeing that again" she said, motioning from Felix towards the wrecked bridge. Felix leapt over to the precipice and tapped the bridge with his hammer. With a loud ding it was fixed instantly.

"What just happened?" Hinata said, trying to catch up to the present.

"After that bug fell down, Felix accidentally fixed the thing with that magic hammer of his. I took out the bridge and dropped that hellspawn back to the filthy depths it came from." Calhoun explained.

"Jiminy Jaminy!" Felix exclaimed. "How'd you take out the whole bridge?"

Calhoun smirked. "Found some hidden weapons from the beta testing. Those things have got some nice kick to 'em."

Hinata looked up at the bugs in the sky. "How long until they're after us again?"

Calhoun shook her head. "Not long, but with any luck we can make it to the tower before it gets too bad."

The four re-grouped and carried on towards the tower as the words "LEVEL 2" flashed across the sky.

Back over in Sugar Rush, Riku and Vanellope were just arriving back at the track in Riku's new car. It had the same body style as before, but it was of much better construction. The pastry body was cooked to a golden brown perfection, with lifesaver rims holding the sour-ribbon slick tires. Black Licorice racing stripes ran from front to back across the top, as well as over the wheel arches. As he pulled up, the car got several noticeably impressed stares from some of the kids there.

"Well champ, are you ready to earn a medal instead of just jumping into the whipped cream?" Vanellope teased.

Riku nodded as she handed him a new racing coin. "It's as good as mine!" he said, his old confident pride back in his voice.

Vanellope nodded in approval. "Not bad kid, I think you got it in ya." Turning around, she spoke up to address the other racers. "Alright, my loyal subjects!" she started regally, before cracking up and continuing in her normal tone. "I know we don't normally do more than one roster race per night, but tonight's a special occasion. This big ol' cupcake here has his heart set on a medal, and if he doesn't get one tonight he's out of luck; sooooo I'm going to give him another chance. After the race I'll have Sour Bill bring the results over to those guys in that math game and figure out who's got the best average or whatever, so all your results today matter! Put in your coins and let the race begin!"

There was an excited clamor as everyone ran up to put their coins on the flipper, the careful line from earlier being mostly abandoned and the announcement board ignored as they threw in their entry fee and ran to their cars. It wasn't but a minute or two later that the grid was filled with racers, a determined Riku sitting with his car in the back of the start line.

The racers revved their engines in excitement as the countdown began, putting their cookie pedals to the floor and blasting off at high speed the moment the announcer said to go. Riku started off a little slower than the rest, but his new kart's engine growled happily as he quickly built up speed and started overtaking other racers. It wasn't long until Riku made it back to the turn that had destroyed his car before, but this time he drifted through the turn with ease, his slick tires having just the right traction and his sturdy frame more than up for the task.

A volley of hard candies shot past him, and looking back he saw a young girl racer trying to line up to fire another volley. Riku looked down quickly at his dashboard and saw that he had an ice cream bomb ready to go, but the arrow on the icon looked as if it would only fire forward. Looking ahead, he saw a steep hill coming up and gunned his engine, twisting the wheel of the car hard right as he crested the peak. As he flew into the air, his cart spun around and he launched his ice cream bomb back at his pursuer, hitting his mark with surprising accuracy before finishing his rotation and landing.

Riku blinked, eyes wide in surprise at how well it had worked out, before gunning his engine yet again and continuing on. Through loops, turns, and tunnels, Riku managed to zip and zoom his way through the ranks, finding a proficiency in gunning down the carts he couldn't quite pass otherwise. Finally, as he reached a candy cavern, he saw Vanellope just ahead of him. A little map on his dashboard proudly displayed that he was in second place, with only a third of the track left to go. Crossing an item box, he picked up another ice cream bomb and fired it. Vanellope had been keeping an eye on him in her rear-view mirror and saw it coming, and right before impact she and her kart flashed purple, shifting a few feet to her right in a blur of pixels.

Riku frantically turned to dodge his newly-created ice cream obstacle and looked at Vanellope in disbelief, not sure what she had done or how she'd done it. Undeterred, he kept up his pursuit, managing to pull up even to her after taking a tight turn. Racing side-by-side now on a straightaway leading to a large booster ramp, Riku shouted. "What the heck was that back there?" he asked.

Vanellope giggled. "Just a little trick I've got!" she said, giving Riku's car a little nudge towards a roadside angel cake. Riku slammed his brakes momentarily to fall back out of her way before gunning the engine again, once more finding himself right behind her and having a hard time catching up. Time and again, he would manage to pick up some sort of weapon only to have her warp out of the way last second. Picking up one final item, another ice cream bomb, Riku looked ahead and saw the finish line in the distance. This was it. Mind racing, his face lit up with an idea and he fired his final salvo as they entered the last turn in the course.

Vanellope laughed once more, warping herself out of harm's way as she looked back to give Riku her trademark grin. Seeing an even bigger grin on Riku's face, she turned back ahead of her and gave a shout of surprise when she saw a strange dark portal right in front of her. Too late to dodge it, she ran right through the portal, appearing again only twenty feet to her left and falling into a giant mound of whipped cream as Riku sped past her to victory.

Sprinkle confetti rained down as Riku crossed the finish line, and many of the candy folk in the grandstands came up to congratulate him as the rest of the racers pulled in. Only a couple minutes later, Sour Bill's truck arrived with the many racers who'd met a fate only sweet in flavor; Vanellope among them. She hopped off the truck and stormed up to Riku, her tiny hands in fists and an exaggerated, almost amusingly big frown plastered all over her face.

"Why you!" She cried, approaching him with her finger pointing, "That was some trick!"

Riku looked around as the crowd fell silent, finding himself strangely intimidated by this girl less than half his size. "Well" he sputtered, "I uh…"

Vanellope's frown disappeared into a giant grin and she punched him playfully in the leg. "That was awesome!" She exclaimed. "Man, I sure wasn't expecting that! I didn't even know you could do that!"

Riku looked at her, eyes wide. "You're not mad about that?"

She laughed. "Are you kidding? I'm always glitching around all over the place. I don't normally do it that much because I try to be fair to the others, but I knew you wouldn't let my little tricks stop you... of course, I wasn't expecting that! But whatever, it was AWESOME!"

Riku smiled as the bystanders went back to their jubilations, following Vanellope over to the winner's stand where he and two others took their spots. Everyone cheered as Sour Bill walked up and placed the silver and bronze medals around the necks of the third and second place winners, though as he went to put the gold medal around Riku's neck he stopped and stared, unsure of how he was ever going to reach that high. "Forget it" he said solemnly, holding the medal out for Riku to take. Riku did so unabashedly, holding the medal high in the air with a victorious smile.

High up inside Cy-Industries tower, Hinata and her squad were making good progress. Currently, they found themselves in a large, grandiose hallway. Spanning nearly the entire breadth of the tower, it gave them the most open space they'd come across since entering the gargantuan building. Unfortunately, the grand girth of the room offered very little in the way of cover, aside from some two dozen pillars lining either side of the hall, reaching forty feet above and supporting a vaulted ceiling. The architecture of the room would have felt timeless and historic, if not for the computer-chip green color with which it had been painted or the neon light strips running vertically up the columns.

Lining all ends of the hall were the remains of what had once been beautiful stained glass windows, their images now impossible to discern due to their currently shattered disposition. If one had the time and the care to carefully analyze what was left, there may have been some hope of solving the mystery; if not for the swarming hordes of Cy-Bugs currently using these windows as entry points.

Cy-Bugs swarmed in through every opening in all directions, though they were being destroyed almost as soon as they entered. Near the center of the hall, in a circle of gunfire and explosions, Hinata, Calhoun, Felix, and Ralph stood their ground, working their way from one end to the other, heading for a staircase to the next floor.

"Jiminy Jaminy!" Felix cried out. "Tamora, I don't recall there ever being this many Cy-Bugs here!"

Calhoun tossed a grenade into the distance ahead, and then fired a rocket in the area between. The explosions were nearly simultaneous, and the group made their way through the opened path. "Neither have I." Calhoun responded, the weariness of the journey showing through. "We've taken out so many high-level bosses so far I don't think the program's pulling any punches anymore."

Only 40 feet remained between the group and their destination now, but the swarms were replenishing quickly.

"Crap." Calhoun muttered. "I'm out of explosives. We're going to have to clear this path the hard way."

"Maybe not!" Ralph shouted, jumping to the front of the group. He hunched over and took a deep breath, then began pummeling the ground rapidly with his fists; his arms moving so quickly they were a blur. He dashed forward into the crowd sending Cy-Bugs flying every which way, many of them colliding in the air with others and sending them flying too. Hinata and the gang followed him quickly, and once they made it to the stairway Ralph turned around and bashed the walls, blocking the entryway with debris.

Calhoun nodded in approval. "Not bad work there, Ralph."

Ralph gave an exhausted smile. "Thank you, ma'am."

"How many floors are left, Tamora?" Felix asked, trying to catch his breath.

"Just one, I'm afraid."

Hinata looked at her inquisitively. "Why do you make that sound like a bad thing?"

"The last room is usually the worst. Endless swarms of Cy-Bugs coming in, the ground littered with eggs that hatch the moment they're knocked over. I've never seen the wretched hall so filled, I've got no clue what's waiting up ahead for us." Calhoun explained. "I'm out of ammo for all my good stuff, and we're all exhausted."

Hinata looked down, feeling guilty that she'd made things so difficult. "Can we just quit? I'm sure if I explain to DiZ what happened, he'll find some other way to get what he needs."

Calhoun shook her head. "Nope, 'fraid not. At this point if we wanted to leave we'd have to fight all the way back down the tower. The quickest and easiest way out of this is to beat the final level and activate the beacon."

Hinata cocked her head.

"It's like this giant beam of light." Ralph explained. "The Cy-Bugs can't resist flying into it, but it destroys them."

"That's right" Calhoun confirmed. "It'll wipe out every Cy-Bug in the area until the next round starts."

Hinata nodded. "Well, if there's only one way to finish this, let's get to it!"

The group, now rested enough, climbed up the staircase and made their way into the final floor. This room was just as big as the hall was, but in the very center of the room was a raised octagonal pedestal with some ornate railing around it. The floor was, as Calhoun said, littered with Cy-Bug eggs; and the windows almost immediately began shattering as Cy-Bugs forced their way in to feast on the hapless heroes.

The squad immediately went to work like a well-oiled machine. Ralph began slamming the ground, smashing eggs all over as Felix provided cover and regenerated his armor. Hinata and Calhoun focused their fire on the rest of the Cy-Bugs, trying to make sure none came too close.

As Hinata strafed around the room, she accidentally tripped on a Cy-Bug egg. She turned over quickly, shooting it as it started to hatch, but before she could get up a giant Cy-Bug leapt on top of her, shrieking in her face and tearing her gun to shreds with its whirling teeth as its mouth dripped cy-liva all over her. Hinata tried to move, but was pinned down; unable to do anything but stare into the gaping toothy mouth that edged ever closer. Just as it seemed like the end, a massive hand came bursting out of the mouth; Ralph had jumped onto the Cy-Bug's back and punched clean through the head. He hopped to the ground and swung his arm over his head, flinging the dead Cy-bug across the room and wiping out several more ahead.

"Hinata, are you okay?" he asked.

Hinata looked down to make sure. "I'm fine, but my gun was eaten."

Ralph looked at the destroyed Cy-bug in despair. "Oh great. Well, can you use that one on your back?"

Calhoun had made her way over. "It's no use. These Cy-Bugs are armored and tough, that pea-shooter isn't going to do anything except bounce off. Take my pistol instead; it's slow but packs a powerful wallop."

Hinata did so, and resumed the firefight. Several minutes went by as they wiped out hundreds of Cy-Bugs, but there seemed to be no end in sight. The Cy-Bugs were becoming more resilient, and the group soon found themselves pushed into a corner.

"Dammit!" Hinata cried out. "I'm out of ammo!"

Calhoun looked over at Hinata, then back at the others, desperation across everyone's faces. "Press on, soldiers! We are not going out like this!"

Hinata reached back and grabbed the gun she'd got from DiZ, looking at it with a frown. "It's gotta be better than nothing." she groaned, aiming it ahead of her.

As she pulled the trigger, there was a very short but intense, deep rumbling; followed by a loud crash like thunder. A bright flash of lightning shot out from the end of her gun, sending a wave of electricity that melted through the Cy-Bugs closest to them in electrical fire. Sparks arched through the crowd, demolishing Cy-Bugs like dominoes as the lighting made its way across the room before blowing out the wall on the other end.

The four of them stood there, mouths wide open at the scene in front of them; the only Cy-Bugs remaining strewn about as charred chunks and fizzling away.

"Holy-" Calhoun started to say, before Felix reached his hand over and covered her mouth.

Their moment of peace was not long lived, though, as another swarm began to amass through the now-bigger entry point. Hinata stepped forward confidently, raising her weapon with a grin. "DiZ, you are full of surprises." she muttered, firing another shock ahead of her to a similar effect.

Calhoun, knowing now what to expect, took off like a shot as the electricity cleared and made it to a control panel. "The beacon controls aren't responding!" she cried out. "I don't think this is going to work!"

Hinata walked over beside her, firing another wave at the next incoming horde. "What do we do?" she asked.

"Hey!" Ralph exclaimed. "Do you think we can use that lightning gun instead, like I did with Diet Cola Mountain?"

Hinata gave Ralph a bit of a strange look, wondering what he was talking about.

"That just might work" Calhoun said, nodding thoughtfully as Hinata fired off another blast. "I don't know if that thing will be able to fire long enough without running out of power or breaking, though. We could tie down the trigger to keep it going, but who knows what that will do to it?"

Felix stepped forward with a grin, tossing his hammer in the air and grabbing it again as it came down. "I can fix it!" he exclaimed, winking cheekily as Ralph rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"Alright, it's a plan then." Calhoun said, walking next to Hinata. "Point that thing straight up and keep that trigger down, Hinata!"

Hinata nodded and did as she was told, and the lighting blasted in a continuous stream through the ceiling and straight up into the sky. The Cy-Bugs outside the window stopped their advance, their eyes glazing over in a trance as they started making their way towards the deadly energy stream. The loud thunderous roar of the gun was deafening, shaking the building to its very foundation as the scream of thunder tore through the sky

"Uh, Felix!" Hinata said with worry. "The gun's getting hot and the end looks like it's starting to melt!"

Felix jumped over and tapped the gun with his hammer, instantly repairing the damage and seemingly boosting the strength. He had to do this a few more times as the Cy-Bugs helplessly flew to their doom, until finally all were destroyed. Hinata let her finger off the trigger as they looked around, the ringing in their ears hiding the silence that had fallen.

The pedestal in the center of the room lit up and a holographic image of a General appeared along with a shiny golden medal; congratulating them on a mission well done.

"Well kid, there's your medal!" Calhoun said, nudging Hinata forward with her shoulder. Hinata walked up to it, almost in a daze, and grabbed it. She stared at medal for a moment, in disbelief that it was finally over.

"I can't believe we're finally done." she said, turning back to the others.

"Yeah, that was kind of rough!" Ralph said, as Felix nodded.

There was a dinging noise and a hidden door opened up on the thin end of the room, revealing an elevator.

"That will take us straight down to the bottom." Calhoun said, walking over to it. "Come on, let's get back."

"You mean there was an elevator we could have taken this whole time?" Hinata asked, throwing her hands into the air.

"If only." Calhoun responded. "It doesn't even exist until you grab the medal and the game loads it."

Hinata nodded in acknowledgment, and the rest of the trip back was mostly silent. They finally made it back to the entrance of Hero's Duty. As they walked through the hall leading to the big gate, several bright beams swung back and forth from the ceiling across them, and as they did the gooey Cy-Bug remains caking everyone's armor were stripped away. As the gate closed behind them Felix spoke up.

"Well, that sure was something! I hope that medal helps out with... whatever it was you needed it for" he said.

Hinata held the medal up again to get a good look at it. It was a large, golden medal with the work HERO imprinted on it, and the top was a big blue ribbon. It was certainly an impressive and beautiful medal, but Hinata was having a hard time seeing anything about this medal in specific that would make it so valuable.

"I hope so, too." she said, putting her arms down by her sides. "I don't really know why DiZ needed this medal so badly, but I'm sure it must be important somehow if he made me go through... all of that."

Calhoun came over from a console she'd been interacting with near the giant door. "Is this DiZ fellow the one who gave you that lightning gun?" she asked curiously.

Hinata nodded. "He must have. All my armor and equipment appeared on me out of nowhere when I got here... I've had a magic drive before that changed the way I looked, but this is the first time I've had an entirely new weapon. I wonder if it was only possible because we were coming into game worlds... the gun and armor will probably be gone when I leave."

Calhoun eyed the gun, with just a slight tint of sadness hidden behind her stoic expression. "That's a shame. The weapon itself ain't much to look at, but that was some serious firepower you were packing back there."

Grabbing her gun off her back, Hinata looked it over again. It might not have looked interesting to Calhoun, but Hinata thought it was really cool. "Well, I don't think I can take it with me, but I bet I could leave it here just fine. I don't know if you'd want or even need it, but, would you like to keep it?" she offered.

A big smile crossed Calhoun's face. "Well, if you insist."

As the gun was being handed over, Felix stepped over with a gentle but deliberate step. "Well ladies, it is starting to get late and Ralph and I really should be headed back."

The group made their goodbyes to Calhoun, and Hinata, Ralph, and Felix all went and loaded into the tram. It started to make its way back to the station, and Ralph spoke up.

"Say, you said your friend was trying to get a medal from Sugar Rush, right?" he asked with a smile.

Hinata nodded wordlessly, the exhaustion of the day kicking in more strongly.

"Well," Ralph began, "I'm expecting a friend from there to come by our game at some point tonight. I don't know if she's there yet or not, but if your friend was in Sugar Rush I'll bet they show up there at some point."

Felix nodded. "Yeah, how about you come on over and relax a little? The Nicelanders are throwing a big 'ol shindig all night long!"

"Okay, that sounds nice," Hinata said.

The trip back over to Fix-It Felix Jr. felt nice and quick, but more thankfully it was a trip devoid of Cy-Bugs. They made it to the tower and took the elevator up to the penthouse, where there was indeed a party in progress. Several of the Nicelanders were crowded around the dance floor hooting in glee, and Hinata looked at it with a smile. Suddenly, from the midst of the crowd, she heard a small but delighted bark. "Jack...?" she asked aloud.

Hinata walked over to the dance floor and burst out laughing at the sight. Jack was bounding and dancing all over the dance floor, spinning and twirling with a giant smile. Dancing with Jack, much to her surprise, was Gene; with the biggest smile she'd ever seen. Jack did a spin and then noticed Hinata watching him. With an excited bark he floated over to her with his tail wagging and nuzzled her cheek.

With a giggle, Hinata pushed Jack away and pet his head. "Good to see you had a good time." She told him, talking loudly over the music.

Jack barked and whined in response as if he were trying to tell her everything he had been up to while they were apart.

"You know him?" Gene asked, walking up to Hinata with a quizzical look on his face.

"Yeah, he's my dog, Jack." She told him, looking around at the bustling party around her, trying to catch sight of Riku. "Hey, have you seen a big cupcake walking around anywhere?"

Gene's smile vanished and was replaced with another scowl. "No. You're probably looking for someone from Sugar Rush. They don't usually get to the party until after their big nightly race."

Hinata let out a short huff. "Alright, thanks."

"Hinata?" She heard Riku's faint voice behind her, barely heard over the party.

She immediately turned around to see Riku standing beside a small girl near double frosted glass doors. Despite his still cupcakey appearance, she let out a breath of relief and swiftly plastered a grin on her tired face. She rushed through the crowd and as she approached him she wrapped her arms around him; pulling him into a hug, despite her bulky armor making it slightly harder to accomplish. "I can't tell you how good it is to see you." She confessed. They stood in an embrace for a moment before she pulled away and informed him with a giggle, "You smell like candy."

Riku chuckled in response. "Yeah, well the world was entirely made of it, so I guess it only makes sense." He looked up at her and noticed her disheveled appearance. "Did everything go okay?"

Hinata held back a yawn and held up her golden medal. "Yeah, I just feel like I could easily sleep the next few days."

"What happened?" He asked her, looking at the buffs and cracks in her once pristine armor. A small hand hit his leg and he looked down to see Vanellope staring up at him tapping one of her tiny feet on the ground.

"Well are ya goin' to introduce me or what?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah," He replied, "This is Hinata."

Vanellope took a couple steps forward towards Hinata and eyed her with a smirk. "Did you have to go to Hero's Duty?" Hinata tiredly nodded and Vanellope laughed, "Oh man that must have been awful! I hope you washed your hands afterwards!" She chuckled at her joke and lightly clapped her hands. "Aw man, I crack myself up sometimes."

"Miss Hinata, is this the fella you mentioned?" Felix walked up with Ralph, kindly interrupting their conversation.

With a smile, Hinata put away the medal and nodded, "Uh, yeah. Felix, Ralph, this is Riku. We came here together."

"Pleasure to meet you!" Felix lifted his small blue hat and greeted.

Ralph let out a snicker, "You had to go to Sugar Rush, huh?"

"Hey, Stinkbrain!" Vanellope greeted Ralph with a grin. "I think I might have found an even grumpier cupcake than you!"

Riku let out a small groan as Hinata chuckled in response. The group continued to talk and exchange stories for the following hour; eventually moving to a lounging area where it didn't take long for Hinata to fall asleep even with the loud drumming music blaring around them. Not long afterwards the music came to a stop.

"Alright everyone!" Felix announced. "I'm afraid that's going to have to be it for the night. There's only a half hour until the arcade opens up, and we all need to be in tip-top shape!"

The crowd quickly and amicably dispersed, and Riku awoke Hinata, letting her know that they had to get going. As Hinata slowly got up from the couch, the door to the party burst open. A short man wearing blue overalls over his red outfit jumped into the room. Under his round nose a full black moustache adorned his face.

"Mario is-a here!" He exclaimed excitedly before looking around at the mostly empty and messy room. "Mama Mia… I'm-a late again."

"Yessir, afraid so." Felix told him, hitting his hammer on broken pieces of the penthouse, fixing them immediately.

With a saddened face Mario turned to leave. As the doors closed behind him, Riku and Hinata got ready to leave.

"Heading home Grumpcake?" Vanellope asked Riku, giving a snicker at his unappreciative look.

With a sigh, he replied, "Yeah, have to get the medals back to DiZ."

"Well I wanna give you something before you go." She told him, holding her hands behind her. Bringing them in front of her she held a heart shaped chocolate cookie in her hands with a long strip of black licorice attached to the top of it creating a loop. Light purple icing that matched the top of Riku's hat wrote out in fancy cursive, 'Riku Grumpcake'. Around the writing were small star shaped sprinkles decorating the edge. "I know you have to give up the medal you won, so I wanted to make you something you could keep."

Riku knelt down to her level and reluctantly took the cookie-medal from her. He shook his head with a small breathy chuckle when he read his assigned name on the front but then told her. "Uh… thanks." He almost startled as Vanellope suddenly wrapped her tiny arms around him for a quick hug.

They all made their final farewells and went back to Game Central Station.

"You're going to have to tell me all about your race," Hinata told him, sitting across from him on the small tram as Jack curled up on her lap.

Riku smiled. "Yeah, and I can't wait to hear about your adventure too." The rest of the ride went silently and once they soon got back to the main foyer. Grabbing a small communicator, Riku spoke into it. "Alright Ben, we're all ready to head back."

Nearly instantly, Riku, Hinata, and Jack were back aboard the deck of the Highwind.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Ben shouted as he waved with frantic glee. "I was so lonely up here!"

*** Author's Note: Hey everyone! This author's note is from a different author, Curry's husband! It has been fun writing the last two chapters, and I really hope you've had fun reading them. I was very happy that Curry was so excited when I offered to write the Wreck-It Ralph world for her, and had a blast doing so. It's probably my favorite Disney movie, so it seemed a good fit. There is one more small surprise I have coming up soon, but as far as the main story goes that's it for me! Thank you all for reading and I hope you've enjoyed it! ***


	17. New Mission

Chapter 17

Riku walked along the second floor of the mansion with his hands dug deep into the pockets in his coat. His footsteps echoed through the empty foyer as he approached the white room. Through the door he could hear faint muffled sounds of giggles making him get a small smile on his face. He brought up one of his hands and lightly knocked on the worn wood. The voices in the room fell silent and within seconds the door creaked open. Namine looked up at Riku with a smile and opened the door wider for him to enter the room.

Riku gave her a nod and walked inside, glancing around at the multitude of new drawings posted on the white walls. Looking over at the long table he spotted Hinata sitting on the far end near Namine's seat working diligently with some colored pencils to create a picture. She was back in her normal clothes wearing a black bracelet around her wrist that DiZ had created for her, containing a mini perception filter. Riku smirked as he approached her and then attempted to peek over her shoulder to see what she was working on. Hinata put down her red colored pencil and looked up to see Riku.

A large smile appeared on her face when she saw him and she greeted, "Good morning!"

Riku smiled and replied, "Good morning, what are you doing over here?"

"Well I didn't see you when I woke up this morning so I decided to pay Namine a visit." She explained before holding up the paper. "She convinced me to try drawing with her and she gave me a few pointers. What do you think?"

"Is that… Sora, Donald, and Goofy?" He asked her after several seconds of looking it over.

"You can't tell?" She asked with disappointment. She brought the paper back down to her and examined it. "I thought it was pretty obvious. I copied Sora off another picture Namine drew of him."

"Well it's better than your usual drawings." He told her bluntly, smirking when she gave him a look.

"Was there something you needed us for?" Namine asked, cutting in on their conversation.

"Uh, yeah," Riku nodded, "DiZ wants to talk to you, Hinata."

"Another mission?" Hinata asked him. "That would be nice, we haven't left Twilight Town since we went to Game Central Station last month."

"I'm not sure actually." He admitted, "There is something he wants to discuss with us; but I don't know what about."

"Well alright," Hinata stood up from her seat before asking Namine. "Do you want me to help clean up the supplies?"

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it. It will give me something to do. Thank you for visiting today."

"Yeah!" Hinata smiled, "I had a lot of fun. I'll start coming by more often if that's alright."

"Sure!" She agreed.

"Okay then, let's go." Hinata looked over at Riku, who nodded in response.

They began walking out of the room until Riku noticed another scribbled drawing that seemed to be of Hinata's making on the wall. He stopped and lightly grabbed Hinata's arm. "Did you draw that?" He asked her.

Hinata looked at the piece he was referring to and nodded, "Yeah, its Lea and Roxas." She shook her head, "I mean… Axel and Roxas."

Riku looked at her and asked, "Why would you draw them?"

She shrugged, "Well we've been seeing them around Twilight Town a lot and they seem to be great friends." She rubbed the back of her neck and confessed, "It makes me hope that maybe Axel hasn't changed as much as DiZ thinks."

"Don't let DiZ hear you say that." He told her quietly, walking out of the room.

Hinata followed him out and once the door closed behind them, she reached over and grabbed his hand. They walked in silence for a moment before she asked, "Are you alright? You've seemed sort of off."

He sighed in response, "Yeah, sorry. DiZ just seems like he has something big to discuss and that usually means he has bad news."

"I'm sure everything will be fine." She assured him. "We've been successful on every mission he's sent us on and we've been keeping a good eye on Roxas and Xion; so there shouldn't be anything wrong."

"We'll see." He replied shortly.

She looked up at him and noticed the stern look on his face. Glancing out at the bare dusty mansion around them, she spoke up, "Hey, if DiZ doesn't have a mission for us today, would you like to go out to buy some Christmas decorations? It's only a month away now."

A small smile appeared on his face, "Uh-yeah that sounds nice. We'll have to ask DiZ if we can put any up."

She scoffed, "Honestly I think we should just buy them and put them up. He hardly ever leaves that study of his anyways; he probably wouldn't even notice."

Riku chuckled in response, "Fair enough. We'll put a tree right in the center of the foyer downstairs."

"Yeah, a ten foot one!" She added holding her hand up above them to associate the size.

"I don't know about that." He replied. "We'd have to get a ladder just to decorate it."

She shrugged, "We'll just stack up all those old books to stand on."

Riku laughed in response and they continued to chat about the different things they would buy until they entered the dark study. DiZ sat at his computer staring at the bright screens as various numbers and images scrolled across. The metal door slid close behind Riku and Hinata as they stepped into the room and DiZ turned his chair around to face them.

"Good morning, Hinata." He greeted slightly bowing his head. "Apologies for interrupting your slumber."

Hinata put up her hands, "Oh I was already awake. I was hanging out with Namine."

DiZ's one visible eye widened momentarily and he told her straightforwardly, "You should be wary of the attachment you are creating with her; she is a Nobody, completely hollow of real emotion."

A frown appeared on her face as she was taken aback by his harsh response, "Is that really how you view her? Her emotions seem pretty real to me."

"They are only mere remnants of feelings that were part of her original host, nothing more." He replied, "Now to discuss why I ca-"

"I can't believe you actually believe that; especially after everything she has been doing for our cause." Hinata interrupted, anger steadily rising in her voice. "Without Namine none of this would be possible!"

"I'm not disvaluing her use," He replied sternly.

"Only her value, is that it?" Hinata replied, her voice rising in volume. "Do you only care about the 'use' you can get out of her? Is that how you view me and Riku? What's going to happen to all of us when we…"

"Hinata," Riku interrupted her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She whipped her head around to look at him, ire apparent in her face. As she looked at his calm composure she felt herself slowly relax.

Seeing that she was calming down, DiZ explained, "I admire your idealistic views on Namine, but the fact of the matter is that she is a Nobody. Any emotions she or any Nobody display are mere fabrications."

Hinata bit her tongue, fighting back the urge to get fired up again. Taking a deep breath, she clenched and then relaxed her hands. "Alright fine," She replied with a voice barely over a whisper, "What did you want to talk with us about?"

DiZ nodded and turned his chair back towards the computer. Once his back was to them, Riku lightly rubbed his hand along Hinata's arm, trying to help her calm down. Not seeing their interaction, DiZ asked, "Are you familiar with the Legend of Atlantis?"

"Only what I've heard in stories." Hinata replied, frustration still clear in her voice.

"What do you know about it?" He asked.

She sighed, "Basically that it's some sort of ancient city that sunk under the ocean over a thousand years ago. Back at the island there were a lot of explorers that tried to find it."

"I doubt they had any luck." DiZ replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah, every mission was unsuccessful." Riku nodded, "That's why the story eventually became a legend."

"Why are you asking us about this?" Hinata asked, wanting to get to the point.

DiZ turned his chair around, noticing how Riku abruptly took a couple steps back from Hinata. "Two months ago Atlantis was discovered."

Hinata and Riku both stepped forward in surprise. "What? Seriously?" Hinata exclaimed, her frustration momentarily gone.

"Where was it?" Riku asked.

DiZ put up his hand to quiet them and explained, "A young man by the name of Milo Thatch found 'The Shepard's Journal' which he believed contained encrypted directions to the lost city."

"Was it on the island?" Hinata asked, frowning when DiZ shook his head.

"So this Milo guy actually found Atlantis on some other world?" Riku asked, wanting to get back to the story.

DiZ nodded, "Indeed, with an elite team he used the journal to lead them to the city in an underground cavern." Turning towards his computer, DiZ pressed a few buttons on his keyboard and brought up a black and white photo of a group of people gathered around a large pile of treasure. Around each of their necks was a necklace with a single crystal hanging on the bottom. "This is the group of explorers that found Atlantis."

"Why are they all wearing the same crystal?" Hinata asked, walking towards the screen to get a better look at everything.

"Those crystals are the power source for the Atlanteans." DiZ explained, "It is what kept the population young and alive for thousands of years and has energy beyond imagination."

Riku sighed, realizing where he was headed, "You want us to get one of those crystals."

"Precisely," DiZ nodded, turning his chair back to them. "However, only Hinata will be going on this mission."

"What?" Hinata asked, looking away from the picture and back towards Riku.

"Why not both of us?" Riku asked, crossing his arms.

"I need you here to keep watch over Roxas. Namine believes she is near a break through with Xion and we will need to react swiftly." He explained to Riku. "You need not worry about Hinata. Her navigator will accompany her."

Riku frowned, "I know she can take care of herself; I just don't understand why we can't just wait on the mission until both of us can go."

"News of the power source of Atlantis has been kept relatively quiet; however I was able to find the information rather simply." He pointed out. "No doubt the Organization will also want it for themselves if and when they hear the news."

"So it's a race." Hinata surmised.

"Not quite," He clarified, "From the information I have uncovered the Atlanteans are a proud people and will not relinquish their crystals to anyone. You will have to gain their trust and prove your worth before they will allow you to leave with a crystal in your possession."

Hinata nodded, "Alright, so how do I do that? And what language do they speak?"

"I cannot give you all of the information you need, unfortunately." He shook his head, "There is little known about what Mr. Thatch uncovered in Atlantis. I do know however, that the Organization will not go in quietly. They will take the power source by force if need be and you must not allow that power to fall into their hands."

Taking a deep breath, Hinata lightly bit her lip before telling him, "Alright, I'll do the best I can."

"You can't send her against the Organization by herself." Riku objected, "You have no idea how many Members they will send to Atlantis."

"We have no way of knowing if there will be any of them present at all." DiZ reminded him. "It is possible they will not arrive at any time; but if they do, they will not be expecting Hinata to be there. As a result they will have no reason to send more than one or two Members."

Hinata walked forward and placed her hand on Riku's arm. "It's alright Riku, I can handle them. Besides, if I gain the trust of the Atlanteans, I'll have them backing me up." When Riku nodded in response, she asked DiZ, "But I have to ask, why do you want the crystal in the first place? You haven't explained why you've been sending us on these missions. We haven't seen the medals we brought back from our last mission since we gave them to you."

DiZ looked back at his computer screen, seemingly thinking over how much information he should release. Letting out a sigh, he replied, "I cannot reveal everything in this moment; however, I will inform both of you that the materials you are retrieving are being put to a good use. They are creating something that will stop the Organization."

Hinata and Riku exchanged glances at his answer.

"So the time has come for your decision, Hinata." DiZ interrupted their silent conversation. "Do you accept this mission?"

She looked up at the screen that showed the group picture of the explorers, thinking over the parameters of the mission. Taking a deep breath, she nodded, "Yes, I'll do it. When do I leave?"

DiZ smirked at her answer and informed her, "The sooner you depart the better. I have already relayed the necessary information to your navigator and he should be ready to set out at any time."

"Do you have any idea how long she'll be gone?" Riku asked, still unsure how he felt about Hinata going out on her own.

"It all depends on Hinata." He answered, "She has to gain their trust and to do so could take weeks."

"Well… better get ready then." Hinata spoke up when Riku fell silent. Giving Riku a small unsure smile she turned around and left the study.

Once the door slid closed behind her, Riku asked, "Is there another reason you're sending her out alone?"

"Should there be?" DiZ asked.

"No..." He replied shortly. "You just seem to have a hidden agenda and I don't want Hinata getting hurt by it."

"Your worry is misplaced." He countered. "I assure you I am nothing like your previous employer."

Riku didn't respond to DiZ's words and stood in silence for a moment, staring at the computer screens dimly lighting the room. Without saying anything, he turned and left the study. He walked back to the foyer of the mansion, making his way to his and Hinata's room while lost in his thoughts. The door to the bedroom was open as he approached and he could hear Hinata scuffling around the room. He leaned against the doorframe and watched as Hinata packed her things in a large suitcase.

Placing her gauntlets into the bag, Hinata glanced up at Riku with a sad smile. "Hey," She greeted him. "I guess we won't be able to go shopping today."

He shrugged, "I'll take care of it. I'll at least have a tree put up in our room by the time you get back." They exchanged a smile before she got back to her packing. He watched her in silence for a couple minutes before speaking up, "You really alright with this?"

Hinata stopped walking, clutching one of her journals in her hand. "I'm a little nervous, if I'm being honest." She admitted before smirking. "But I was on an unpopulated planet for a month… I think I can handle this."

Riku chuckled in response. "Yeah, I suppose there is that."

"I do wish it wasn't so sudden." She confessed. "I mean in just ten minutes I went from spending the day with you to being gone on a who knows how long trip…" She went and placed her journal in her bag and sighed. "Hopefully it won't take me that long to gain their trust."

"And hopefully the Organization won't show up." He added, finally entering the room. He walked up to her and grabbed her hands. "Just try to be back before Christmas; I have something special planned."

Hinata smirked, "Oh really? And what would that be?"

He leaned down and kissed her. "You'll just have to wait until you come back from your mission and see."

Her cheeks blushed as she smiled and told him with a quiet voice. "I'm really going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too." He admitted, kissing her again.

Within the next few minutes Riku helped Hinata finish packing her bag and he walked with her out to the ship. He pushed open the glass door leading outside, a cool breeze greeting them and an overcast sky blocked the rays of the sun. The grass was cut back and the weeds were pulled away; instead newly planted flowers surrounded the backyard. Since returning from their last mission, Hinata had been working hard alongside Namine to turn the overgrown yard into a beautiful garden; despite DiZ's insistence that their work could be better used elsewhere.

"You and Namine have done some great work out here." Riku pointed out, scanning over the array of various flowers.

"Thanks!" She chimed, "It reminds me of home."

Riku smiled in response before bringing up, "About before… what DiZ said about Namine."

Hinata slightly tensed up from his words and told him, "I can't understand how he can think that about her."

"He wasn't wrong, though." He slowly spoke. "Nobodies don't have hearts."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean Namine isn't a real person." She pointed out. "She's still my friend and she does everything a normal person can. Even if her emotions are technically just memories of emotions… she still smiles and laughs at things as if she really is happy…" She sighed, "I'm sorry… I guess I just don't quite understand what is so wrong with me being her friend."

"No, I get it." He assured her. "It's just…"

"Look, could we talk about this later?" She interrupted. Placing her luggage on the ground she turned towards him and grabbed his hands. "I'd rather this not be the note I leave on."

He looked at her for a moment before shrugging, "Yeah, alright. We'll talk about it later." He lifted one of his hands and pushed a few strands of Hinata's hair behind her ear. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" He asked her.

She leaned into his touch and laughed, "Yes, I told you I'll be fine. Besides I'll have Ben and Jack with me. The three of us make a pretty good team."

With a chuckle he replied, "Alright." He leaned down and kissed her before telling her, "I love you."

Smiling in response with flushed cheeks, she kissed him back and replied, "I love you too."

"Ahoy Hinata!" Ben called from aboard the ship, interrupting the couple's moment. "You ready to set sail into the vast sea of space?"

Riku looked up at Ben with a frown while Hinata laughed. Clearing her throat she stepped back from Riku and called up, "Yeah, I'll be right up! Go ahead and start the preparations."

"Aye aye!" He saluted, before turning around and ordering, "Alright Jack, you heard the orders!" Jack barked in response and Ben ran off to join him.

"Ben doesn't really get personal space, does he?" Riku asked with a sigh.

Hinata chuckled, "Well he is a robot."

They stood in silence for a moment, watching as the sails of the ship flared out ready for flight and soon it was time for Hinata to go aboard.

"Ok then… I guess this is it." she spoke up, glancing over at Riku. The sash covered his eyes but she could see the lines of worry in his face. Leaning on her toes, she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek to get his attention. "It's going to be fine." She assured him.

His stern expression instantly vanished when she spoke and turning towards her, he placed his hand under her chin. Tipping her face up, he kissed her one last time. "I know." He admitted once he pulled away, before smirking, "Don't have too much fun without me."

She giggled, "I'll do my best."

They exchanged a smile until Hinata reluctantly pulled away, grabbed her luggage and made her way onto the ship. The walkway retracted back into the vessel once she was aboard and Ben roared the engines to life. Hinata leaned against the ship's railing and waved down at Riku as the ship lifted off of the ground and flew towards the sky. Within minutes the mansion was out of sight and The Highwind was floating through space. Hinata stepped back from the railing with a sigh and turned around to see Ben and Jack working at the control station.

"Good job you two." Hinata told them, walking towards the controls. "How long is the trip going to be?"

Jack floated forward with a series of barks as if he were speaking. When he was done, Ben spoke up, "Jack is right; we should be at Atlantis in five hours."

Hinata gave the two of them a confused look, but shook her head and turned to head down the stairs. "Alright then, I'll be below deck if either of you need me."

"Enjoy the trip!" Ben called after her as she descended the stairs.

The next five hours inched by as Hinata was at a loss of what to do. She couldn't sleep and practicing sparring alone wasn't particularly exciting. By the time Ben announced they were approaching the world, she sprinted up the stairs onto the deck already geared up with her weapons.

"Finally!" She exclaimed, running up to the railing to see the new world. It looked eerily similar to the planet Game Central Station was on but she didn't pay it much mind.

"This will be my first time accompanying you on a mission!" Ben came up beside Hinata with Jack in tow. "Oh, I can't tell you how excited I am!"

Hinata chuckled, "I wonder how the Atlanteans will react to a robot." She glanced over at Jack. "And a flying ghost dog."

"Well if the Leviathan is any indication, Jack and I will look like spare parts!" Ben pointed out with a laugh.

"The what?" Hinata asked.

"It's a machine the Atlanteans created to guard the entrance to their city." He explained.

Crossing her arms, she asked, "How do you know that?"

Bringing his hand to his chin, he told her, "You know it was the strangest thing. All this information about Atlantis just came to me this morning while I was taking a morning stroll with Jack."

Hinata nodded and mumbled under her breath "Ah… DiZ."

"What?"

"Oh, uh nothing." She stammered, "Can we just leave the ship up here without any of us on it?"

"No need to worry Captain!" He assured her. "I linked myself to the ship's mainframe. If anything happens to The Highwind while we are at Atlantis, I'll know instantly."

"Nice," She commented, "Alright then, let's get down there."

"Alrighty!" Ben chimed, running back to the control board. "See you there!" He told her, pressing a button and instantly beaming them off the ship.

A bright light surrounded Hinata causing her to quickly shut her eyes. The soft mechanical hum of the ship was suddenly replaced with the sound of water splashing as if from a fountain or waterfall. A cool humid air surrounded her and the spray of water hitting her skin caused her to open her eyes. She stood on lush grassy river bank in front of a sparkling pond where fire-fly like bugs glowed as they flew across the surface. Vast stone columns carved with intricate designs stood in the water beginning to crumble from old age. A clear waterfall fell from one of the stones disturbing the otherwise peaceful water.

"This… isn't what I was expecting." Hinata spoke up, looking at the peaceful scene before them.

Ben tapped on her shoulder, "Uh… Hinata, maybe you should see this."

Hinata turned away from the peaceful scene in front of her to see what Ben wanted. Her eyes widened when she saw five human-like creatures in front of them pointing spears right at her. Instinctively she backed up and reached her hand over the holster of her plasma pistol.

"Who are these guys?" She asked Ben, looking them over.

Every one of them wore a large intricately patterned mask over their face that reached to their chest. The eyes and the mouths glowed a bright blue light and a long white fur covered the edges concealing every part of their body except their legs.

"They must be Atlanteans." Ben surmised, stepping forward holding his hands up. "We come in peace!" He exclaimed, startling the mask-wearers from his loud voice.

Hinata groaned as she quickly reached forward and tugged Ben back. "Could you not?" She scolded him with a harsh whisper.

The mask-wearer in the center of the group stood up straight from their hunched position and tilted their head to the side. Holding out a fair skinned hand they began to speak in a language Hinata did not understand.

When they waited in anticipation for Hinata's answer, she cleared her throat and slowly spoke, "Uh, hello. Not to be rude, but… we have no idea what you're saying. But my friend is right; we aren't here to hurt you."

"We're explorers." Ben spoke up with a quieter voice from before.

"Yeah," Hinata nodded, motioning her head towards Ben. "What he said… explorers." She paused for a moment before asking, "Can you understand anything we're saying?"

The one that had spoken before handed their spear to someone standing beside them and reached up their hands to take off the mask. Hinata's mouth slightly fell agape when she saw a seemingly regular person underneath. He was a tall male with vibrant white hair pulled back in a bun and blue tattoos decorated his skin in a tribal pattern. His icy-blue eyes stared at the group with uncertainty and a blue crystal tied around his neck glowed, setting a light hue against his pale skin.

"How… did you… get here?" He asked them slowly, his voice heavy with accent.

Hinata widened her eyes, "You… understand me and speak my language?" She glanced at Ben, "How is that possible?"

"Oh, their language is based on a root dialect!" Ben explained happily.

She frowned and threw her hands up in defeat, "Thanks for telling me before, really helpful."

Ben sheepishly smiled and shrugged in response.

Hinata shook her head and turned her attention back to the Atlanteans in front of them who still waited for their answer. "Oh, it's sort of a long story." She attempted to answer their question.

"We will take you to see Queen Kida." The man replied, motioning his head to the others. "She will decide your fate." As he finished speaking he stepped back and motioned his hand towards a large set of mossy stone steps leading up a tall hill.

"Great…" She replied with an unsure smile. She glanced back at Ben and Jack before beginning the trek up the stairs.

The male Atlantean led the way as the other guards walked along the sides of the group keeping watch on them. Hinata uneasily looked around at their escorts and then at their surroundings. Vast stone pillars towered above them with a fired torch lit at the top, lighting the otherwise darkened city. There was no sky above them but instead a cave ceiling. The city was still lit by a shining blue orb that floated atop what appeared to be the tip of the city. Stone figures circled the orb, but Hinata couldn't make out what they were. Pterodactyl like creatures flew above them cawing in a loud screech and perching on the tall trees that lined the stairs. They stared at the group with dark eyes.

The trees around them soon dispersed and they entered what appeared to be a market place. On one side there was a large body of sparkling water where boats hoisted anchor and different Atlanteans stood in the water on wooden stilts with spears in their hands. They threw the spears into the water, piercing large violet lobsters at the end. Along the edge of the water were colorful cloths hung above wooden posts, providing shade to various shops selling trinkets and food. Atlanteans bustled through the market, all stopping their chatter when they saw the guards coming through escorting the outsiders. Hinata smiled uneasily at the people, trying to seem friendly, but their frightened stares unsettled her.

While they walked, Jack quietly whimpered and Ben spoke up, "Jack has a point, all the villagers look alike."

Hinata stopped walking and turned to look at Jack and Ben. "What do you mean, Jack has a point?"

"He pointed out that the Atlanteans all have white hair and blue eyes." Ben explained, "Didn't you hear him?"

"Jack said that?" She asked.

"Yeah!" Ben crossed his arms. "Don't you understand him?"

Hinata looked at him bewildered, "Uh…No, of course not. Do you?"

"Keep moving," The man leading the group interrupted their conversation. He turned his head and made eye contact with Hinata. "We need to get you to Queen Kida right away."

"Right, sorry." She replied, quickening her pace to continue walking. After a couple minutes of walking in silence she asked, "Is there anything I should know before I meet your Queen?"

The man was silent for a moment before replying, "I do not understand what you mean."

"I mean is there a certain way I should talk to her?" She asked, "Any protocols I should make sure to follow?"

He slightly turned his head and side-glanced at Hinata behind him. "You would care to know?"

"Well yeah," She shrugged, looking around at the other Atlanteans who continued to stare as they walked. "I don't want to accidentally offend your people, especially your Queen. We really aren't here to cause trouble."

The man was silent for a moment, "You do not need to worry. Our Queen is fair and just."

Hinata smiled, "Well that's a relief." She looked up as they once again began climbing stairs and left the market. They seemed to be climbing up the steep hill to a stone building at the top. She slightly frowned at the distance they still had to trek before speaking up, "By the way, I'm Hinata and this is Ben and my dog Jack; thought you should know since you're going to have to introduce us to your Queen."

"I am Kamash of Tilmor." He introduced himself. "Leader of the royal guard."

"Seem a little young to be the leader." Hinata commented without thinking; stopping short when Kamash gave her a slight glare in response. "I mean… uh-cool. Nice to meet you Kamash."

The rest of their walk continued in silence and just when Hinata felt that her legs couldn't take another step they reached the top of the hill. Two guards stood in front of a stone doorway where vines and moss were growing over the carved stone. Kamash stopped in from of the guards and began speaking to them in Atlantean. Both the guards were men with similar builds to Kamash. Their white hair was pulled back into ponytails and the same blue crystal rested on their chest on a necklace. They eyes Hinata and the others while Kamash spoke but eventually nodded their heads and stepped out of the doorway to allow passage.

Kamash turned towards Hinata and told her, "Queen Kida will see you now."

Hinata gulped and strained a smile, "Alright… I'm ready."

The guards pushed open the stone doors, the rocks sliding against each other as they slid open. Inside was a tranquil pond of water speckled with lily pads and pale pink flowers floating on the surface. A stone spiral path was in the center of the pond and surrounding it were tall pillars with sheer purple fabric draped around the room. On the far end of the room stood a shattered statue of a man; the face was on the ground with water pouring out the eye sockets. In front of the statue was a long red throne where a young woman sat beside a slim male who looked unlike any of the Atlanteans Hinata had seen yet. His hair was a chestnut brown and large rimmed glasses were on the bridge of his nose.

Hinata hesitantly walked into the room with Ben and Jack following close behind. The doors slid closed behind them as they stepped onto the stone path in the pond. Queen Kida looked up as the doors to the throne room opened. She immediately stood from her throne and stepped forward. A long flowing blue robe covered a majority of her body and her white hair fell far past her shoulders. She watched Hinata and the others walk into the room with a spark of curiosity in her icy-blue eyes. She seemed to be rather young, barely in her twenties if Hinata were to guess.

Kida looked at Hinata and outstretched her arms. "Welcome to Atlantis!" She greeted in a thick-accented voice.

"Oh, um-thank you, your majesty." Hinata quickly replied, not expecting her kind words.

"Are you explorers?" She asked.

"Yes!" Ben answered, stepping forward. "My esteemed colleagues and I are humble explorers looking to enrich our lives!"

"Why are you talking like that?" Hinata whispered to him.

"Wait, wait, wait," The man sitting on the throne stood up and quickly waved his hands in front of his face. His spoke swiftly and no accent was apparent in his voice. "How did you find this place? What method of transportation did you use? You didn't have the Shepard's Journal, so how did you know where to look?"

"We just sort of… stumbled on this place…" Hinata attempted to lie.

"Stumbled?" The man replied, not at all convinced. Crossing his arms he looked her over and added, "You look like an explorer, I'll give you that; but Atlantis isn't a place you find on accident."

Hinata looked down at her clothes, forgetting that she looked different than usual. She wore a tan polo shirt with green overalls covering her most legs and torso. Dark laced boots reached up her calves with the overall pants tucked inside. A brown and gold belt looped around her hips, holding her holster for her plasma pistol. Holding out her hands in front of her, she noticed her usual metal gauntlets were made of a thick brown fabric with a bright blue stripe along the front.

"How did you find this place?" The man asked again, crossing his arms.

"Um… well, you see…" Hinata stammered, trying to find a plausible explanation.

"How do we know you aren't with those creatures?" He interrupted.

"Creatures?" Hinata asked.

Kida stepped forward and placed her hand on the man's shoulder, "Milo, you needn't be hostile towards them."

Milo looked back at Kida and objected with a calm voice, "Kida, there are unknown creatures attacking all over the city. We don't know what they are or why they're here and this group just happens to show up amidst all this. You don't think they are up to something?"

"I might be able to help with those creatures." Hinata offered, cutting in on their quiet conversation. Both Kida and Milo looked over at her before she added, "It would give me a chance to prove that I'm here as a friend and not an enemy."

"She is built for battle." Kida told Milo with a smile. "With her physique and strong arms, she is suited for nothing else."

Hinata looked down at her arms as she heard Kida speak.

"We don't even know who they are." Milo reminded her.

"I'm…" Hinata began to speak, but the doors to the throne room suddenly burst open and Kamash ran in.

He bowed close to the ground in front of Kida and Milo, out of breath. Speaking in Atlantean, he told them. "The creatures… they have returned."

Kida's face suddenly went stern and serious. "Where?" She asked quickly also in Atlantean.

"In the market." He replied.

A scowl appeared on Kida's face and she ordered, "Gather every warrior and launch an attack. Make sure to get the others indoors to safety."

"Yes, your majesty." Kamash answered, getting up to sprint out of the room.

"And take our newest recruit with you." She told him. Looking over at Hinata she spoke in English, "Now is the time to prove yourself. Kamash will take you to the creatures."

Hinata looked between Kamash and Kida; she didn't understand what they were saying before but seeing the urgent looks on their faces she nodded, "Alright, thank you your majesty." Placing he hand on Ben's shoulder, she ordered him, "Stay here with Jack, alright?"

Ben saluted, "Will do Captain Hinata!"

"Don't call me that…" She mumbled as she turned to follow after Kamash.

She ran out of the throne room, trying to stay close to Kamash. The moment she was outdoors Hinata knew what the mysterious creatures were; Nobodies. Their familiar sounds echoed through the city somewhat muffled by the startled citizens trying to make their way to safety. From the top of the hill, Hinata could see groups of the enemies spread throughout the city. As she looked three Dusks squirmed up the mossy stairs, stopping right in front of Kamash and Hinata. Their white bodies wriggled constantly as they stood ready to attack. Kamash yelled something at the Dusks in Atlantean as he readied his spear for a fight.

Activating her blades, Hinata told him, "The best way to beat these guys is to get behind them. It confuses them and they become stunned."

Kamash gave her a side-glance before lifting his spear in the air. He spun around and sliced at the Dusks in front of them, but they instantly jumped and floated in the air making his weapon only swish through the air. Hinata frowned that he didn't take anything she said into consideration but shook it off to attack on her own. Deactivating her blades she reached for her gun and pressed on the switch to charge it up. Once the barrel began to glow yellow, she lifted it up and shot two quick bursts at the enemies in front of them; hitting both of them in the chest. Their white bodies instantly burst into a bright light before dissipating and leaving only clear bubbles behind. Hinata placed her gun back into her holster and stepped forward making the bubbles draw towards her.

She watched as they flew into her and mumbled, "I'm still not sure what these things even are." She sighed and turned around to look at Kamash. He had a look of shock on his usually stern face. Hinata smirked and turned back around, "Come on, we have to get to the rest of the city."

Kamash shook his head and broke into a run, rushing down the steps to make their way to the market. They entered the once bustling market to find it completely deserted of Atlanteans. A few of Kamash's soldiers fought in the distance with another group of Dusks. They swung their spears at the Nobodies but as they did with Kamash, they continued to jump into the air or swerve to the side.

Lifting one of his hands to his mouth, Kamash yelled at his men in Atlantean. The soldiers momentarily stopped what they were doing and listened to their captain's words. Backing up, they grouped together and one by one they began rolling behind the Dusks and slashing their backs.

Hinata smirked, "What did you tell them?"

"To focus," He replied.

"What? No, you told them what I told you earlier." She objected, crossing her arms.

"I thought you told me you didn't understand Atlantean. How would you know what I told them?" He looked over at her.

Rolling her eyes, she waved him off, "Whatever, let's find some more of the Nobodies."

Before she could take a step forward she heard a single ring. Widening her eyes she turned her head towards the sound and saw a red glowing arrow headed right towards them. Swiftly, activating her blades she ran in front of Kamash and defended. The red arrow struck the blue laser-blade, ricocheting off. It flew back towards a floating silver creature holding a large arrow gun, striking it in the chest.

"Snipers?" Hinata groaned under her breath.

"How do you know what these are?" Kamash asked, looking around as more Sniper Nobodies appeared around them.

"Long story, love to tell you after the battle though; if that's alright." Hinata replied, jumping around and blocking various shots.

The deflected shots hit the enemies that fired them, causing them to temporarily recoil before loading another shot. Hinata pushed Kamash out of the way of an arrow, but was unable to block it as it sliced past the edge of her shoulder. She grimaced from the pain, yet didn't pay it much mind as the shot flew past her into another Sniper behind them.

"A little help would be great!" Hinata yelled to Kamash, who had yet to attack.

"I'm trying!" Kamash replied. He attempted to run towards the Snipers to hit them with his spear, but was constantly having to dodge arrows.

Hinata deactivated one of her blades and reached for her gun. She blocked an oncoming arrow heading towards her neck and instantaneously fired a blast from her pistol. The yellow burst shot into a Sniper's arm, causing it to momentarily fall to the ground. Kamash ran over to it and stabbed his spear through its head, suddenly making it burst into a bright light before disintegrating away with only the bubbles left in its wake.

"Finally," Hinata sighed with relief. "One down."

They continued this method of fighting; taking one Sniper down at a time until finally all of them had been destroyed. Hinata put her overheated pistol back in its holster and deactivated her blade before finally letting herself catch a breath. She leaned forward and placed her hands against her knees as beads of sweat appeared on her skin.

"What are these?" Kamash asked.

Hinata lifted her head to see him walking towards her with his arms full of the bubbles. She arched her eyebrow and stood back up straight. "Why aren't they going into you?" She asked as he approached her. When they were only a few feet apart the bubble instantly drew to her and melded into her skin. "That's really strange." She noted, holding up her hand and looking at it as the last few of the bubbles sunk in.

"Your skills are impressive." Kamash spoke up, causing Hinata to look up at him with a small smile. He averted his eyes and cleared his throat. "For a woman that is."

Her expression slowly changed to a frown and with a sigh she shook her head. "Whatever, are there more Nobodies around?"

Kamash was about to respond but was interrupted when a few of his men approached. The front man with his white hair falling past his shoulders stepped forward and spoke to them in Atlantean. Kamash nodded and replied to them before addressing Hinata, "No more of those creatures have been spotted. They have been repelled."

Hinata smiled, "Well that's good news at least. How often do they attack?"

"Every day," He answered, "Sometimes more than once. I have my men constantly on guard."

"So that's why you found me and my friends so quickly." She surmised.

"That metal man is a friend?" He asked.

"More or less," She replied with a chuckle, "He can be loud sometimes but he's there for me when I need him."

Kamash nodded at her response and told her, "We should return to Queen Kida at once."

They were about to move when one of the guards spoke again to Kamash in Atlantean. He pointed behind him as he spoke and Kamash nodded.

"Those creatures my men fought left behind the same substance you took in earlier." Kamash told Hinata.

"Substance?" She asked, "You mean the bubbles?"

He nodded, "Did you want more?"

She shook her head, "I don't even know what it is, so… no. Did the previous attacks not have any of those bubbles left over?"

"They did, but Queen Kida had them gathered and brought to the throne room. Her mate has been researching them since."

"Mate?" She repeated.

"Yes," he affirmed, "Isn't that what partners are called in your language?"

"More like boyfriend or husband, but-uh mate works too I suppose." She shrugged.

Kamash turned back towards his men and ordered them something in Atlantean. The men nodded and left to follow the instructions. Motioning his arm out, Kamash told Hinata, "Let us go back to the Queen."

"Alright," Hinata nodded.

They walked back up the hill, making their way back to the throne room occasionally talking. The guards pushed open the stone doors once they reached the top and Kamash entered with Hinata into the room.

Kida stood from her throne as they entered and put her arms in the air, "You have returned!" She greeted them with relief, "I trust the creatures have been taken care of?"

Kamash bowed before he spoke to her in Atlantean. As him and the Queen spoke in their native language, Ben and Jack approached Hinata.

"You made it!" Ben exclaimed as Jack nuzzled into her cheek. "Not that I was worried. I knew you would pull through."

Hinata chuckled, "Yeah it wasn't too bad. What did you guys do in the meantime?"

"Oh you know, just chatted and had a laugh with these two." Ben told her, motioning his hand towards Milo and Kida. "I told them all about our ship and adventures. Even told them about how we met!"

"You did what?!" Hinata yelled, getting startled looks from everyone in the room. Clearing her throat, she pulled Ben aside and whispered harshly, "Ben, I could have sworn DiZ talked to us about this. We aren't supposed to tell people about where we're from or…"

"You worry too much!" Ben interrupted her, "I was trying to stick to our whole story of being explorers but…" He laughed while he spoke, "we all know that story was a bust! So I just told them the truth and they took it with stride!"

Hinata sighed with exasperation and rubbed the bridge of her nose, "I don't care why you did it; this whole civilization doesn't even know what space travel is, let alone if it's even possible. And you just told them all about it!"

Ben frowned and linked his hands together behind his back while kicking at the ground. "I'm sorry."

She crossed her arms and took a deep breath, "You know… its fine. At least they didn't freak out too much. Hopefully DiZ won't get too upset. Just… promise you'll stop telling people about where we come from and our adventures, alright?" When Ben solemnly nodded she turned away from him and walked back towards Kamash and Kida, who had just finished speaking.

As she walked back, Kida informed her, "Kamash speaks highly of your skill."

Hinata quickly looked over at Kamash with surprise and asked, "He does?"

"He also said you know what those creatures are," Milo spoke up, stepping forward.

"Uh-yeah," She nodded, "They're called Nobodies."

"Yes, your metal man said something about those Nobodies." Kida replied.

Hinata frowned and asked, "What all did Ben tell you?"

"He is a gifted story-teller." Kida smiled, "I've never seen such imagination!"

"Oh, yeah… he makes up a lot of crazy things." Hinata spoke slowly, trying hard to keep her cheeks from flushing. "I don't know where he gets it." She glanced over at Ben and shrugged.

"Why are the Nobodies here?" Milo asked.

"My guess is that they are here scoping out for their leaders, Organization Thirteen." She explained. "The Organization is after some crystal power source."

Kida and Milo exchanged worried glances. "Do you know this Organization?" Kida asked.

Hinata nodded, "I have something of a history with them. They aren't exactly the most peaceful group."

"Have you come here for the same reason?" Kida asked, "For a crystal?"

"Yes," Hinata answered honestly. "But I don't intend on stealing it like the Organization wants to. I would like to earn it."

Kida smirked at Hinata's response but then frowned when she noticed blood on her shoulder. "You are injured." She told her.

Hinata looked at her right shoulder, the tan sleeve of her shirt was ripped and her skin was sliced open still bleeding. "Oh, yeah; one of the Nobodies hit me with an arrow. It's fine though, I'll just have Ben disinfect it later."

Kida grabbed the crystal hanging around her neck and walked towards Hinata. Holding it up Kida tapped the end of the rock against the wound. The skin around the cut began to glow a bright blue and Kida let go of the crystal and pressed her hand against the skin. Hinata winced but suddenly felt a rush flow through her. She watched as Kida took away her hand, leaving her skin suddenly blemish free.

"How did you…" Hinata quietly spoke.

"This is our life force." Kida explained, holding up the glowing crystal.

"Your life force?" Hinata repeated.

Milo stepped forward to be beside Kida and quickly spoke as he explained, "These crystals contain mysterious, mystical properties that even the Atlanteans themselves cannot fully comprehend. It can heal wounds, powers technology; it even greatly extends the longevity of their life by nearly eighty times the average human lifetime!"

"Wow…" She replied, her voice quiet.

"If you truly wish to earn one of these crystals, you will have to do much for Atlantis." Kida told her.

Hinata slowly nodded, "Alright, what do you want me to do?"

"Keep this Organization you spoke of, from stealing our life force." Kida told her. "You have proven yourself in battle and your knowledge of those creatures will surely be of use to Kamash."

She glanced over at Kamash before assuring them, "I will do what I can."


	18. Protecting Others

Chapter 18

Hinata stood right outside the throne room, looking out at the city of Atlantis spread before her. The cool air from the mass of water surrounding the land chilled her skin. She could hear the murmur of Kamash speaking with Queen Kida and Milo from the other room while she stood in silence. They had just defeated another wave of Nobodies as they had been doing for the last two weeks. Every day it was the same routine; Hinata would meet with the entirety of the royal guard to discuss tactics against the Nobodies and within hours of the meeting adjourning the city would be attacked.

Hinata sighed and sat down on the top step of the stone stairs and allowed her muscles to relax. Reaching into her overall pocket, she pulled out the silver communications device and held it out in front of her in the palm of her hands. She glanced behind her before pressing on the flat blue button on the center on the device. The edges of the button lit up and pulsated as it connected. Within seconds a hologram of Riku and DiZ glowed on the contraption.

A small smile appeared on Hinata's face when she saw Riku appear and she greeted, "Hey."

Riku smiled back as DiZ replied, "Hinata, we have not heard from you in three days. Do you have something to report?

She shrugged, "Not really… I was just feeling lonely I guess." She let out a breath and admitted, "I'm beginning to think the Organization might not show up. We haven't seen anything but Nobodies these last two weeks."

"What types of Nobodies are attacking?"" Riku asked.

"All sorts," She replied. "Mostly Dusks; but these last few days there have been more of the heavy hitters, like Beserkers and Assassins."

"If the enemies are becoming stronger in numbers and rank, the Organization is no doubt preparing to appear." DiZ told her.

"Yeah, but when?" Hinata asked in exasperation. "Waiting like this constantly has me and this entire city on edge."

"The Organization thrives in the unforeseen." He reminded her. "They will strike when you least expect it."

Hinata frowned, "Thanks… that honestly doesn't help at all."

There was a silence between them before Riku spoke up, changing the subject, "Have the guards improved in fighting the Nobodies?"

"Yeah," Hinata nodded. "After I proved I knew what I was doing, they started listening to me. They even took out a Berserker on their own today."

"Well they have a good teacher." Riku pointed out, causing Hinata to crack a smile.

DiZ cleared his throat, "Has your navigator revealed any more information to the people?"

"Ben?" Hinata asked, "Uh, no. After he got that talking to from you the first day we got here he's been keeping surprisingly quiet. He mostly stays with Jack in the throne room; but he has been helping Milo with some experiments the last couple of days."

"That is relieving to hear." He replied. "Well, if that is all you have to report, Hinata, I will take my leave. Be sure to contact me if there are any further developments."

"I will." She nodded.

Without saying anything more, DiZ cut his line leaving only Riku's hologram still visible.

"I wish I was there with you." Riku admitted once DiZ had cut off his connection.

Hinata gave him a sad smile, "Yeah, me too. Has there been any change with Xion or Roxas?"

Riku let out an annoyed breath, "No, just doing the same stuff we were doing all last month. I keep trying to convince DiZ to let me join you in Atlantis, but…"

"It's alright," Hinata interrupted. "I mean, I miss you and everything; but if you did come out here and then something happened with Roxas, there would be no way for you to get back fast enough. Even with those portals you make, it would still take you a couple hours."

"I know…" He sighed. "I just don't like knowing that the Organization could show up there at any time."

"Yeah, that kind of sucks." She confessed with a short bitter laugh.

They fell silent for a moment, both of them thinking about what was yet to come. Eventually Riku spoke up, "I've been noticing the last couple times we've talked; your hair is getting longer."

Hinata nodded and reached up behind her to feel her hair that was put up in a ponytail. "Yeah, it's pretty crazy. It wasn't even past my chin when I left Twilight Town. Milo says that something in the crystals here makes the body almost regenerate. I mean I get cuts from fighting the Nobodies everyday but the crystals heal them; so I think it's making my hair grow too." Pulling out a beaded band, she released her hair and let if fall free. Her red locks fell past her shoulders, most of them flowing freely while other bits were braided with Atlantean beads. She chuckled when she noticed Riku's surprised expression, "I know! This is only from two weeks of being here."

"That's amazing." He finally replied. "Maybe it's a good thing I'm not there."

She snorted a short laugh, "Yeah, your hair would be down to your knees at this point."

Riku chuckled uncomfortably, "I don't even want to imagine that."

"Hinata," Kamash's voice called from the throne room.

With a small frown, Hinata looked away from the hologram back towards the throne room. "Yeah, I'll be right there!" She called back before turning to Riku. "I have to get going."

"Stay safe." He told her.

She smiled, "I will. Love you." She cut the call and quickly got to her feet while stuffing the device back into her pocket. As she jogged towards the throne room, she grabbed her hair and used the beaded band to tie it back into a ponytail.

Entering the room she saw Kida pacing back and forth with her hand placed on her chin. Kamash stood in front of the steps that led to the throne with his hands clasped respectfully behind his back; he slightly turned his head when he head Hinata's footsteps approach.

Before Hinata could say anything, Kida abruptly stopped her pacing and spoke up, "Will there be no end to the attacks? My people cannot take much more of this, even with your instruction!"

"The Organization should be here any day now." Hinata assured her, taking note of what DiZ had told her. "The Nobodies have been increasing in number and rank these last couple of days. I think the Organization is trying to wear us out before sending actual Members."

Kida scowled and shook her head, "The lengths people will go to for our life-source! Only months ago Milo came with a group of explorers that wished to steal our power…" She reached up and wrapped her hand over the crystal hanging around her neck. "My father lost his life from their reckless actions. How many more lives must be lost to greed?"

Hinata frowned as she noticed the apparent stress and sadness on Kida's face. She stepped forward in front of Kamash and slowly spoke. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure no one loses their life here. Kamash and I have been doing everything we can to prepare your guards. With the proper training and weapons your people should be able to defend themselves, even after I leave."

"But at what cost?" Kida asked. "A thousand years ago our city was hidden away and anyone that was able to find their way here was immediately slaughtered; but now, after Milo has come here, that is not the life I want for my people."

"I… don't know." Hinata honestly answered, rubbing the back of her neck. "I think there's a way you can balance defending your kingdom from enemies while also being welcoming to others, just like you were with me… But I think for now your main focus should be protecting your people no matter the cost. I mean, those crystals are your life force; but they're also extremely powerful in a lot of other aspects. I think there's always going to be people trying to take it for themselves. What's important is that you keep your people safe."

"Oh Hinata!" Ben exclaimed as he entered the throne room and interrupted their conversation. His arms were stuffed with the clear translucent bubbles the Nobodies left behind. Milo scurried in behind Ben, writing furiously in a journal in his hand while Jack floated close by. "We collected the bubbles as requested!"

"Have you found anything out about them yet?" Hinata asked, turning to look at them.

"Not yet," Milo told her, finally looking up from the book. "They seem to be made of some strange material that only reacts to certain people. Whenever they are within a couple feet of Kida they morph right into her."

"That happens to me too." Hinata replied, glancing back at Kida. "Do you have any idea why?"

Kida sighed, "No. Everything about these Nobodies is foreign to me. You seem to know more about them than I."

"Do they only go into me and Kida?" Hinata asked.

Ben shook his head, "Nope, there were a few of the villagers that the bubbles went into too!"

"There has to be some reason the bubbles pick and choose." Hinata surmised. "Did you notice anything strange about the villagers?"

"One of them is the healer." Milo pointed out.

"My mother," Kamash clarified. "She can heal wounds that even our life-source crystals cannot."

"How is that possible?" Hinata asked.

"A select few of the Atlanteans can harness the power of the crystals more than others. Some of them can even control different elements. " Milo explained. "Similar to your ideals of magic."

As Milo explained, Ben walked up to Hinata and the bubbles rushed into her as he approached.

"Oh come on!" Milo objected, as the last bubble went into Hinata. "How am I supposed to study them if Hinata and Kida keep making them disappear?"

"Oopsie!" Ben apologized, before stopping in his tracks and excitedly flinging his hand in the air. "Wait just a second, I have a theory!"

"What is it?" Milo asked.

"What if the bubbles only go into people with magic?" Ben suggested.

Hinata shook her head, "But that doesn't explain why they go into me. I don't have any magic."

"Are you certain?" Kida asked stepping forward.

Turning around to face the queen, Hinata nodded, "Yeah, I mean… I think so. I've never had the ability before. Do you have magic?"

Kida placed her hand over the crystal around her neck, thinking it over. She glanced over at Milo and reluctantly nodded her head. Stepping forward, she walked down the steps in front of her throne, approaching Kamash and Hinata. She placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder and told her, "There is something you should see."

"Oh, alright." Hinata quietly replied in confusion.

Removing her hand from Hinata's shoulder, Kida walked forward and stepped into the pond. The water reached up to her knees and before moving forward, she glanced behind her, waiting for Hinata to follow suit. Hinata glanced over at the others before walking forward and entering the pond. The cold water immediately soaked through the thick fabric of her boots and the pants of her overalls. Kida moved towards the center of the water and climbed onto what appeared to be a higher ledge. Standing on top of the platform the water barely covered her feet and she reached down her hand to help Hinata onto it. She climbed up and the moment she was up, the ground lightly rumbled. The platform began to lower, leaving the throne room entirely. Passing through the pond they emerged in a dark underground cavern. A dim blue light lit the cave, showing a large lake filled with black water. In the center of the lake was a flat round platform with a carving of a black triangle in the center and three pedestals. Smooth tall rocks lined the walls, a few of them carved with intricate designs like the pillars throughout the city. Hinata peeked over the edge of the rock platform that was lowering them into the new room.

"This is the most sacred room in all of Atlantis." Kida explained. "It was once where the Kings of our past resided, protecting the Heart of Atlantis."

"Where are they now?" Hinata quietly asked.

"Above the city, serving as a symbol of hope and change." She replied. "Even though they are no longer here, I still feel their presence when I come here to pray."

With a rumble the platform melded into the ground of the cave that edged the body of water. Kida stepped forward, the crystal around her neck lighting up and floating higher in the air with every step she took. As she reached the edge of the water, she went to her knees and began to whisper in Atlantean. Hinata walked up beside her, silently listening to her prayers and examining the area. She didn't know anything about the Kings of their past, but she couldn't deny the power within the room. Just breathing she could feel an abnormal mixture of peace and adrenaline rushing through her. Hinata knelt down next to Kida and closed her eyes, focusing on the power around them.

After several minutes, Kida ceased her prayer and asked, "Can you feel it?"

Hinata slowly nodded and whispered, "Yeah, it's… strange."

"The magic you asked of before, I believe it is my connection to this place." She explained, "Several months ago my soul was connected to the Heart of Atlantis, it called me to it to protect this city." She looked at her necklace that was still glowing. "Just as it called my mother when I was a child."

"What happened?" Hinata asked, looking over at her.

"I do not know exactly." She admitted, "I confess that I do not remember the specifics. Just that I came here and the light of Atlantis reached out to me… consumed me. Our city was in grave danger and my father near death; but when I awoke from my trance the city was safe. Perhaps that is the magic those orbs are attracted to."

"Maybe," Hinata agreed, "Do you think we could use that power against the Organization?"

"I would be able to place a wall around the city as protection, but if they appear within our walls as you have predicted, there is not much I can do."

"Well if I'm able to get them out of the city, that wall would be helpful." Hinata stood from her spot and wiped off the dirt from her pants.

Kida looked up at her, "That was not the only reason I brought you here."

"It wasn't?" She asked, kneeling back down. "What else is there?"

"This place unlocked the power inside of me; perhaps it can do the same for you."

"I-I don't know." She stammered. "I'm not even sure I have any sort of magic inside me. I mean, Ben's magic-bubble theory is just a theory."

"But there is no harm in trying." Kida smirked, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Hinata frowned and took a deep breath, "Alright… how do you propose we unlock this power?"

"Take off your shoes." Kida told her standing up.

"O-kay," Hinata replied, unlacing her boots and taking them off completely. Placing her shoes beside her, she stood up and felt the cool mud against her bare feet. She looked over at Kida and awaited the next step.

"Follow me," Kida softly told her, stepping onto the water.

Hinata watched in awe as Kida's bare foot touched the surface of the water but did not sink into it. With every step the liquid rippled around her, but she remained on the top of the deep trench of blackened water. Reluctantly, Hinata stepped forward, barely touching her foot on the lake. The moment her skin touched the liquid, the blue light in the cave suddenly transformed into a deep red. Hinata gasped and quickly retracted her foot, watching at the red light turned back to blue. She looked around; trying to find the source of the light but was unable to find anything.

Kida stopped in her tracks and turned towards Hinata, "Do not be afraid."

Gulping, Hinata nodded and tried again. She placed her foot on top of the water, trying to ignore as the light in the cave transformed to a deep red. Following Kida's steps, she walked along the surface of the water. She stared down at her feet, seeing the dark depths just beneath her, going down for what seemed like eternity; but she somehow stood on the exterior the water rippling around her shaking feet. Glancing up, she saw Kida waiting for her on the round platform in the center of the lake. Taking a deep breath, she quickened her pace and stepped onto the rock beside Kida; the moment she left the water the red light changed back into the calm blue.

"Well that was unsettling." Hinata whispered under her breath, her heart racing as she looked back at the water she had just treaded.

Getting straight to the point, Kida explained, "On one of our city's many murals, Milo found an entry about elements."

Hinata turned around to see Kida walking around the platform. There were three pedestals, one at each corner of the carved triangle. Kida approached a pedestal and tapped her crystal on the top. It shined a blue light and was replaced with a small floating flame. She did the same to the next pedestal and a floating orb of water appeared over the top of it. Nearing the last one, Kida pressed her crystal against it and a green plant with stringy roots appeared, also floating like the other elements.

"After my father's passing I came down here often," Kida enlightened her, "I felt that there was something special about this place and once Milo decrypted enough of our lost language, he discovered that these elemental pedestals could be created."

"What do they do?" Hinata finally found her voice again.

"They allow us to unlock the power of our people." She answered. "Our ancestors once had grand powers beyond our imagination, but such knowledge was lost to us since the time of Mehbelmok." Turning towards Hinata, she continued. "The offspring of those ancestors have the remains of the power, passed down to them over generations; but we had no way to unlock them."

"But with this you can?" Hinata asked, looking at the floating elements. When Kida nodded, she asked. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Stand in the center." Kida ordered.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and stepped forward. As she entered the carved triangle, the carving began to glow already activating. Once she reached the center, Kida began chanting quietly in Atlantean and held up her crystal. She tapped the tip of it onto Hinata's forehead, causing a sudden rush to enter her.

Removing the crystal, Kida stepped back until she was out of the triangle. "Can you still feel the energy around you?"

Hinata nodded, "Yes."

"Close your eyes and focus on it." She ordered her. "If there is indeed magic inside of you this will aid you in unlocking it."

Taking a shaking breath, Hinata forced down the nervous lump in her throat and did as she was told. Closing her eyes, she cleared her mind and focused on the overwhelming energy around her. With the boost given to her from Kida's crystal it was difficult for Hinata to contain the feelings around her. She could feel the heat of the fire as if it was right in front of her face despite it being a small flame several feet away. The freshness of the plant filled her senses with the feelings of spring and life. Without realizing it, she clenched her fists and tightened her muscles. In a faint voice she could hear Kida telling her to relax.

"What are you feeling?" Kida asked.

"Um…" Hinata spoke in a hushed raspy voice as beads of sweat began appearing on her skin. "It's hard to tell…"

"Single out the elements." Kida told her. "Feel them with their own individual power."

Giving a quick nod, Hinata focused on the heat of the flame; but the more she spent her energy on it the fainter it became. Shaking her head, she moved away and engrossed herself in the fresh sensation of the plant, imagining herself back home in the gardens; yet little by little everything withered and the entire perception of the plant disappeared. Hinata frowned at both the once overwhelming elements suddenly going silent and was about to inform Kida about it before a cooling rush overtook her. The currents in the water surrounding them were all she could focus on. She could feel the movement of the liquid as if it were a part of her. Her very being felt like it was being overtaken by waves and she felt like she was losing control. Stumbling a couple steps back she clenched her hands and took a deep breath. As her new breath filled her lungs she also felt energy from the room around her swell into her. Lifting her hand out in front of her she imagined the orb of water in her mind and tried to lift it.

Kida watched from the edge of the platform, her eyes widened when Hinata outstretched her hand towards the pedestal of water. The orb lifted into the air and floated to be in front of Hinata. A smirk appeared on Kida's face and she called out, "Hinata, open your eyes!"

Hinata immediately opened her eyes and grinned when she saw the water floating in front of her. "Am I the one doing this?" She asked her.

"Yes!" Kida called back, "Focus on the power, control the water!"

Taking a deep breath, Hinata focused her eyes on the floating orb of water in front of her. Lifting her hand the orb followed suit, rising above her head and dancing whichever direction Hinata wanted it to go. The coolness of the surrounding water itched at Hinata's senses. Closing her eyes, she broadened her horizons.

The black water around the platform began to wade in in small waves, splashing against their feet. Kida stepped back, standing at the edge of the carved triangle and gasped when a spiral of water shot up from the lake around them. The water went straight up before curving and merging with the orb of liquid Hinata was already controlling. As the waters merged the blue light of the cave instantly changed to the deep red.

"Hinata!" Kida yelled, trying to get her attention, but Hinata was inside of a trance.

Another spiral of water shot up also adding to the growing orb of water and another and another. Soon Hinata lifted the large mass of water high above them in the cave, reaching up to the ceiling as its size soon grew greater than the platform they stood on.

"Hinata!" Kida yelled again, "Hinata, open your eyes!"

"W-what?" Hinata rapidly blinked her eyes open. Looking up she saw the mass of water above their heads and immediately retracted her hands with a gasp.

Releasing her power, the gigantic orb of water rippled around the edges suddenly losing its form and falling in a massive downpour. Kida closed her eyes and braced herself to be soaked but was surprised that even though she could hear the drops falling around them, she wasn't getting the slightest bit wet. She opened her eyes to see Hinata holding her hands above her head, stopping the rain drops from falling against them.

As the water absorbed back into the lake, the red light transformed back into the welcoming blue and Kida laughed, "Well my friend, I believe I can say without a doubt that you do indeed have magic. In all my years I have never seen someone with such control over an element!"

Hinata looked down at her hands in front of her and exclaimed, "That was amazing! I've never felt anything like that before!"

"Come, let us return to the city." Kida outstretched her hand towards the lake.

Nodding, Hinata followed Kida back over the lake. Standing back on the platform that brought them down, it rumbled and began lifting them back to the surface. The higher they rose, Hinata could feel the rush of power leaving her system and once they appeared back in the throne room she felt almost faint.

A pale light from outside filled the empty throne room. As the platform ceased moving the pond quickly returned to its calm state. Hinata reluctantly stepped forward, moving through the water and feeling weaker by the second.

"Are you ill?" Kida asked her, noticing her sudden sullen posture.

Hinata glanced over, "Uh, no, sorry. I just suddenly feel really drained. I felt so powerful down in that cavern, but now I feel empty."

"That is a feeling I have become accustomed to." Kida told her. "Can you still use your powers?"

"I'm not sure." She replied honestly, looking down at her hands. Facing the pond she outstretched her hand and tried to focus on the water. A small spiral of water began to lift from the clear liquid barely reaching a couple inches before Hinata's hand began to quiver. Letting out a huff of breath, Hinata's hand fell to her side making the tiny spear of water also crash. She grumbled under her breath as the water splashed back to normal.

"That was good." Kida assured her.

"Not really," Hinata complained. "Just a couple minutes ago I created a huge rainstorm without breaking a sweat. Now I just feel exhausted." She looked down at her hand, "Some power this is turning out to be."

"Our sacred cavern focuses your power." Kida explained. "Up here your force is limited. There is a way to aid in focusing your energy here on the surface."

"Whatever it is, I'm up for it." Hinata quickly replied.

Kida smirked as she turned towards her, "Are you certain? Do you not first wish to hear what I'm proposing?"

"Well now I do. You got me worried."

With a chuckle, Kida lifted her hand to her face and ran her fingers along two blue tattoos across her cheek, explaining. "Every Atlantean has markings on their skin, some all over their body."

"Like a tattoo." Hinata clarified, not sure what she was getting at.

Kida nodded, "Yes, exactly! Certain markings can give you power; help you maintain your energy."

Hinata's eyes widened as she realized what Kida was leading to. "A… tattoo? Me? Where?"

Lifting her other hand, Kida lightly touched under Hinata's left eye near the top of her cheek.

"On my face!?" Hinata exclaimed before Kida could speak. Stepping backwards she added. "Yeah, no. I've decided to definitely not do that."

"It would barely be visible," Kida informed her, "It would only show when you were using your powers."

"But why exactly does it have to be on my face?" Hinata asked, stepping back whenever Kida would try walking towards her.

Kida placed her hands on her hips and sighed, "It will help your mind to focus and reserve your energy. The closer to your mind the more power it will lend you. Without it, controlling the water will be much more difficult."

Hinata stared at Kida for several seconds with her arms crossed. Letting out a long breath, she muttered under her breath. "Riku is going to kill me…" She strained a smile and shrugged, "Alright, what the hell? Let's do it."

"What the hell!" Kida repeated Hinata's words with a grin and threw her hands in the air in celebration.

"Oh my, no, no, you really shouldn't say that," Hinata quickly told her, her cheeks flushing. "In fact, I shouldn't have said it, so apologies Your Majesty."

Kida laughed, "It is an expression I have not heard before, I like it! What the hell!"

"Well alright then," Hinata replied uneasily, rubbing the back of her neck. "So how do we do this tattoo thing then?"

Recovering from her laughter, Kida cleared her throat and lifted her crystal. "I will use my crystal to mark your skin."

"You've tapped it on me before without leaving a mark though," She pointed out. "Why would this time be different?"

"While I am creating the mark I will recite the words of my people." Kida explained.

"So… like a spell." She surmised.

"Yes," Kida nodded, walking forward. "Now then, shall we get started?"

Butterflies fluttered in Hinata's already twisting stomach. Taking a deep breath, she nodded, "Alright, yeah let's get this over with."

Kida walked up the steps leading to her throne and sat down on a red plush blanket that covered the stone seat. Hinata reluctantly followed and sat beside her, her heart racing.

"Turn towards me." Kida told her, waiting for Hinata to comply. Once their eyes met, Kida lifted her crystal and began chanting in Atlantean with a quiet whisper. As she spoke, the crystal began to glow brighter than before, almost looking like a star from its radiance. Hinata tightly shut her eyes, waiting for Kida to begin the process.

Underneath her left eye she felt the heat of the crystal make contact with her skin. She winced from the unexpected sting feeling every movement. A crescent was drawn before the crystal was lifted. Hinata was about to let out a sigh of relief, but was stopped short as Kida tapped the crystal two more times, creating small circles beside the crescent. The moment the last circle was drawn, a rush of power swarmed Hinata's mind, causing her to feel almost as powerful as she had in the cavern. She took a sharp breath as Kida removed the crystal and opened her eyes.

"It is done." Kida informed her.

A smile appeared on Hinata's face and outstretching her hand she lifted an orb of water out of the pond with ease. "Wow," She spoke, "That actually worked."

"We're back!" Ben chimed strolling into the throne room from outside with his arms once again filled with bubbles. "You would not believe how many of these bubbles are still in the marketplace!" He stopped in his tracks when he saw the orb of water floating in the air. "Wowza! How is that happening?"

Hinata chuckled and released the water, allowing it to fall back into the pond. As it splashed away she felt some of her energy sap away. "Queen Kida helped me unlock some water magic."

"Oh so it worked?" Milo asked walking into the throne room holding his own pile of the bubbles. Kamash followed behind, his expression bored as he also carried bubbles.

"Yes!" Kida nodded with a grin. She stood from her throne and added, "She also received the ceremonial marking."

"Ah, the tattoo." Milo surmised looking over at Hinata. He frowned and asked, "Are you alright? You look exhausted."

Hinata sighed and waved him off. "Yeah I'm fine, I was just using my magic before you came in and I feel like it drained some of my energy."

"My mother felt the same way when she first received her powers." Kamash told her. "It took her time to be able to use her magic regularly."

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it." Ben assured her, walking towards her. As he approached the bubbles floated away from his grasp and into Kida and Hinata. "Oh…. Oopsies."

Hinata felt a rush of adrenaline hit her as the bubbles melted into her causing her to gasp. She abruptly stood up and informed them, "I think I know what those bubbles are now. I don't think they're bubbles at all, but more like magic orbs."

"Why would our enemy leave behind elements that could aid in our cause?" Kida asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well it's not like they have much of a choice." Hinata pointed out. "Nobodies themselves use magic as their main use of attack; so wouldn't it make sense that when they are destroyed they leave behind whatever magic they had left?"

"So I was right!" Ben exclaimed, jumping in the air.

Hinata smiled at him and nodded, "Yeah Ben, I think you were. I think these orbs only go into magic users. It will refill my power whenever I get low."

Kamash looked down at the pile in his hands. "I would like to take these back to my mother. They may help her with her work." He looked up at Kida to see her answer and when Kida nodded with a smile he turned to leave the room.

"These will be helpful while I train." Hinata noted, walking down the steps in front of the throne.

As she walked down, Milo made sure to keep a safe distance away to prevent the orbs from dissolving into Hinata. "There has to be a better way to store them." He began to think aloud. "We can't have these orbs just lying around." He stared at the orbs in his hands for a moment before looking up with a spark in his eyes. "But maybe there is a way to condense it into a potion form! Ben, come with me!"

"Yes Sir!" Ben saluted and quickly followed Milo out of the throne room.

Kida chuckled as they left the room and then turned to Hinata, "Well then, shall we continue practicing?"

Hinata smirked and nodded, "Yes!"

Three days later Hinata sat along the grassy banks of the lake where she, Ben, and Jack had first arrived to Atlantis. Half-absently focusing on the water in front of her, she held out her hand and toyed with her magic. Small droplets of the clear liquid floated above the lake dancing and twisting along to the tempo Hinata moved her hand. She had been relentlessly practicing the last three days, trying to hone in on a technique with her new water powers. Since the overwhelming burst of her magic in the caverns she had yet to do anything more with the water than lifting an orb or two. It had been frustrating but little by little her power was growing.

Allowing the liquid to fall back into the lake, Hinata fell back onto the grass and stared at the fire-flies that buzzed above her. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a thin glass vial. A light blue translucent liquid swished around inside of it. Clicking off the tiny lid she drank the sweet liquid, feeling her magical energy returning the moment it hit her tongue. Milo and Ben had created a working potion from the magic orbs the day before and it was proving invaluable. Once the vial was empty, Hinata placed it back in her pocket and interlaced her hands behind her head as she relaxed on the grass; quickly getting lost in her thoughts and daydreams.

Without realizing when it happened, she fell into a light sleep but was rudely awoken by the distant screams and yells from the Atlanteans. She shot her eyes open and scrambled to her feet. Even though she wasn't near the marketplace she could hear the familiar sound of Nobodies appearing. Without hesitation she sprinted towards the marketplace, leaving the peaceful lake behind her.

"Why are the Atlanteans screaming?" She asked herself as she ran. "The Nobodies have been attacking every day, this shouldn't be anything…" She stopped short and slowed her pace to a halt.

In front of her was a massive hoard of every type of Nobody she had ever encountered. The villagers were scrambling every which way in panic as the guards Kamash and Hinata had trained were doing their best to handle the enemies. With a scowl, Hinata immediately summoned her laser blades and charged towards the Nobodies.

She approached a Beserker, sliding to her knees at the last second as its ginormous metal hammer grazed over her head. Free from its attack she stabbed both her blades into its torso causing it to stumbled back and drop its weapon with a loud thud. Hinata deactivated her blades and wrapped her hands around the long handle of the hammer. A red aura surrounded her as she grabbed it, suddenly making it as light as a feather. She grinned mischievously and spun it around in her hand as she ran towards the Beserker and flailed its own weapon against it. With a flash of bright light, it exploded and left behind the clear orbs that immediately fused into Hinata.

Hinata took a deep breath, taking in the invigorating feeling of the new magic and charged for the next Nobody. Working alongside the other guards she took out enemy after enemy, getting regularly magically-regenerated by the clear orbs. Eventually though, her breath was beginning to become shallow and beads of sweat dripped down her skin. Slicing through a Dusk she watched it burst away and finally took a moment to reassess the situation. Nobodies still littered the area but their numbers were dwindling. Besides the guards all the other Atlanteans had made it to their homes, mostly safe from the enemies. Hinata was about to allow herself a breath to relax, but was cut short when she heard Kamash shouting her name.

Ignoring her already aching muscles, Hinata ran towards Kamash's panicked voice and spotted him racing down the steps from the throne room. "Kamash, what is it?" She yelled up at him as she ran up to meet him.

Kamash slowed to a stop in front of her, breathing heavily. He leaned his hands against his knees, trying to regain his breath while Hinata waited impatiently for him to speak. Pointing one of his hands towards the throne room he told her, "A-a man in-in a black c-coat…"

Hinata's eyes widened and without waiting for him to finish she sprinted away. A new adrenaline filled her veins as she ran up the seemingly endless flight of stairs. Despite her endurance, her legs were screaming in pain desperately begging her to stop a moment to breath. She slowed to a reluctant stop and breathed through her gritted teeth, "This isn't fast enough."

Looking down at her gauntlets, she got an idea. Raising one of her hands she aimed towards the top of a stone pillar that stood near the entrance of the throne room. Pressing down on a triangular button on her gauntlet, the hooked wire shot out and pierced the old stone. The moment it made a connection with the rock Hinata was pulled from the ground and shot towards the pillar. Before making contact with the rock, Hinata pressed down on the gauntlet again, making the chain retract back towards her glove. The hook pulled out of the stone and back into her glove right as she landed in front of the entrance to the throne room. The door to the room was already shoved open, seemingly forcibly as the edges of the rock door was crumbled from what seemed like a strong blast. Hinata slowly walked into the room, trying to remain as quiet as possible.

A man in a hooded black coat was already inside. His back was turned to Hinata as he addressed Kida and Milo in front of him. "Look," He told them with a young man's almost childish voice, "All you have to do is give me one of your crystals and then I'm out."

"You will get nothing!" Kida yelled at him, standing protectively in front of Milo. "We do not take kindly to threats; I suggest you take your army and leave."

The man let out a long sigh and slumped forward. "Oh come on, it's just one crystal!"

Kida shook her head and pointed out of the room. "You must leave at once!"

Standing back up straight, the man reached into his pocket, pulling out a pile of white index cards. Reading allowed he read, "If the subjects fail to comply, use aggression to obtain your objective…right." He sheepishly grinned at Kida and Milo while he shoved the cards back into his pocket. "They really picked the wrong guy for this one..." He mumbled under his breath. "But alright, orders are orders."

Taking a deep breath, droplets of water began materializing out of the floor and floated above him, conglomerating into an orb above his head. He raised his hand into the orb and it instantly popped, materializing a long blue and white sitar.

"What are you doing?" Kida demanded, beginning to become uneasy.

Ignoring her, the man twirled the sitar in front of him and instantly began shredding on it, creating a long stream of musical notes. As the music blared out, he yelled, "Dance water, dance!"

Hinata watched in confusion as water-replicas of the man grew out of the ground as he played his strange weapon. The replicas floated around the room before honing in on Kida and Milo with their own weapons in their liquid hands.

"Oh no you don't," Hinata muttered under her breath.

Grabbing two vials from her pocket she drank both the potions, feeling the overdose of magic fill her veins. Focusing on the rush, she outstretched her hands and made a downward swipe motion; immediately making the water-replicas lose form and fall to the ground.

"Uh oh…" The man spoke up, making his sitar disappear as he realized his clones had been destroyed. "What just happened?" He glanced up at Kida and Milo, but saw that they hadn't moved; so he turned around and startled when he saw Hinata, "Ah! It's you!"

"Demyx, I'm going to assume?" Hinata replied, crossing her arms. "You're right; they did send the wrong guy. I was expecting a challenge."

Demyx pulled back his black hood, revealing his tall dirty blonde hair and plain scowl on his face. "Well that's rude!" He was about to say something else, but then remembered, "Wait, I have something I'm supposed to say to you."

"What is it?" Hinata asked, trying to keep his attention. Glancing up at Kida and Milo, she motioned her head towards the exit of the throne room. Kida nodded and grabbed Milo's hand to silently lead them out of there.

"Wait just a second, I have it right here," Demyx put up a finger while he reached his other hand into his pocket for his index cards. "I know it's in here somewhere," he mumbled as he flipped through the cards. "Aha!" He exclaimed, holding one up in the air while his other cards fell around him. "If Hinata is indeed in Atlantis…" He glanced up at Hinata and nodded, "Use whatever force necessary to bring her back. Do not inform the subject of your plans… oh…" He looked back up at Hinata and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I thought it said to share… oops." Awkwardly chuckling he tossed the card behind him and summoned his sitar. "Either way though, you're coming with me!"

Hinata rolled her eyes before summoning her blades, "No, I'm really not. Plus aren't you here for a crystal? Losing sight of the mission, don't you think?"

"Geez, they should of warned me of how rude you are!" He complained in an almost whiney voice. "You don't even know anything about me…" He lowered his head as if he were pouting.

Deactivating her blades, Hinata suddenly felt a little guilty, "Oh come on… Don't get all pouty…" She groaned, not sure why she was feeling bad for her enemy.

Without replying, Demyx shot his head up with a grin and shot a stream of water right at Hinata. With a yelp, she rolled out of the way feeling the cool mist of the liquid as it brushed passed her.

Before she could even recover, Demyx raised his hand and yelled out, "Water!"

Large orbs of water appeared right above Hinata and began to rain down on top of her. In a gut reaction she raised her own hands and made the water fall around her, not getting a drop on her skin.

"What?" Demyx squeaked in surprised. "Since when did you get magic?"

Hinata smirked, "It's a new trick."

With a growl, Demyx swung his sitar in front of him and strung a cord; causing jet streams of high speed water to shoot out of the ground, trapping Hinata in a tight circle. Using her own power, Hinata attempted to move the water away; but the current was too strong. She heard Demyx let out a laugh as he realized that she wasn't strong enough.

"Got you now!" He yelled, jumping through the water jets while swinging his sitar to strike.

Hinata raised her blades and blocked his hit, making him bounce back from the force. Despite their close quarters, they managed to begin to fight. Dealing blows back and forth with their weapons. Seeing an opening, Hinata lifted her leg and kicked Demyx in his chest, sending him stumbling backwards through his water wall. As he passed through, the water fell to the ground, powerless.

Using the opportunity, Hinata used her magic to pick up an orb of water and shot it towards Demyx. He saw it coming and easily caught it, throwing it aside with a scoff, "Oh come on! That was beyond sloppy! You are a disgrace to the water power's name!"

Rolling her eyes, Hinata objected, "And what exactly is that name?"

"That's not the point!" He told her. "You don't know the first thing about using water!"

"Hey, I'm brand new to this thing!" She pointed out. "Excuse me for not being as good as you in the first three days I learn it!"

Demyx smirked and stood proudly, "Ah, so you think I'm good? Now who's not good enough for the job?"

"What?" She asked.

"Never mind," He waved her off with a sigh. "You wouldn't understand." Holding out his hand he summoned an orb of water. "Well I hope you learn quickly; because here's your first lesson."

"Lesson?" She repeated.

Without replying, Demyx shot the water towards her. Rather than dodging out of the way, Hinata held out her hands and stopped the orb mid-flight. She attempted to throw it back at Demyx, but it shattered and fell to the ground.

"Good, good," He told her, summoning another orb. "You're focusing too much, just let it flow freely." He shot two more orbs at her.

Hinata stopped both the orbs, allowing one of them to shatter to the ground, "Don't give me tips! What's your problem?" Without thinking she turned the other orb back towards Demyx and barreled it towards him.

He stepped out of the way of it with ease and chimed, "See! That wasn't that tough."

"Will you stop?" Hinata yelled at him.

Demyx made his sitar disappear and crossed his arms, "You don't want tips from a pro?"

"Not from you!" She told him. "What about taking me in for custody and getting the crystal? What happened to those things?"

"Man oh man; are you a broken record or something?" He asked her.

Hinata sighed, "Look Demyx, just go back to the Organization. You obviously aren't going to do your job; so stop wasting my time!"

"Now that's just plain rude!" Demyx complained. "I am too doing my job!"

"Oh really…" She replied, shaking her head. "You're bizarre, you know that?"

"Thanks, but now isn't the time for flattery." He told her, summoning his sitar again. "Alright fine, you want a fight? Then that's what you'll get!"

Hinata frowned and was about to activate her blades, but stopped short. "Wait a second… are you… distracting me?" She turned around and looked out at the city outside the throne room. Everything was completely silent, not a single Nobody in sight; something wasn't right.

"What was that?" Demyx asked, "I couldn't hear you over the crazy fight we're about to have!" Without waiting he shot a jet stream of water towards Hinata.

Spinning around, Hinata held out her hands and caught the stream in midair. She glared at Demyx and asked, "What are you guys up to?"

"What? You're just assuming that since I'm nice to you I'm up to something?" He objected, before cocking his head to the side. "Hey what's up with your face? Your cheek is glowing!"

"Shut up!" She yelled and shot back the stream towards Demyx, feeling a large amount of energy leave her body. Her anger was helping her fuel her power, making her stronger. Reaching into her pocket she grabbed her last vial and drank the potion before grabbing another stream of water from the pond and shooting it towards Demyx.

He was able to dodge both the blasts and grinned. He was about to praise Hinata on her form, but seeing the death glare in her eyes and her glowing tattoo, he closed his mouth. Raising his sitar he blocked an attack from Hinata.

"What are you guys planning?" She asked him when he pushed her off.

"Calm down," He told her nonchalantly.

Hinata scowled and turned away from Demyx, "Fine, you're obviously not a threat. I'm leaving, something isn't right."

"Wh-what? Hey wait!" He called behind her. When she didn't turn around he sighed, "Fine, we'll play it this way then." Outstretching his hand he yelled, "Water!"

A wall of water instantly appeared in front of Hinata, blocking her from exiting. She turned towards him with a fire in her eyes.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "H-hey, where you going? I thought things were just getting interesting." Summoning another orb of water he offered, "How about another lesson?"

"I don't think so," She told him, using her own powers to make the orb shatter. Summoning her blades she ran towards him.

"Uh, oh." Demyx readied his sitar and blocked Hinata's attack; taken aback by how forceful she was.

She endlessly continued her attacks, not giving him the chance to retaliate with magic. They exchanged blows, Hinata more than him as she was determined to take him down. Both of them were quickly losing their stamina and Demyx was visibly getting slower with his reactions; but he was still holding his own against Hinata. He shoved her back with his sitar and shot a short blast of water towards her. Hinata tried to stop it but reacted too late, getting hit in the chest and stumbling back. Both of them took a moment to regain their breath and reassess what to do.

Hinata whispered under her breath, "What would Riku do?" A thought popped into her mind and she smirked. Standing back up straight, her clothes soaking with sweat, blood, and water, she charged him once again.

Demyx groaned when he noticed her approaching, "Won't you just give up?" He shot an orb of water towards her, but she tossed it aside with ease.

She continued her barrage as before, but this time waited for an opportunity. Lunging to his left to strike, he expectedly spun out of the way but with a slower reaction. Using the opportunity, Hinata deactivated her blade and jabbed her stiff fingers into either side of his spine right above his pelvis.

"Wha!" Demyx exclaimed, his legs immediately going wobbly as he awkwardly fell to the floor. He attempted to get up before whining about his immobile legs, "Ah! What did you do?"

Without answering, Hinata grabbed a cloth from the throne and ran back to Demyx. Placing her knee firm against his back, she grabbed his hands and tightly tied them behind him with the cloth. Once he was tied down, she got up and began to walk towards the exit of the throne room.

"Hey! You can't just leave me here!" He yelled after her.

Hinata stopped walking momentarily and glanced behind her, "Your legs will be fine in a couple minutes." Turning back to leave the room, she added, "And take some advice, cut your losses and get out of here; because I'm not going to be as accommodating if I still see you here when I come back."

Without waiting for his reply she continued walking; the wall of water shattering as she walked past it.

Once she was out of sight, Demyx sighed, "I really blew it this time…"


	19. Exhaustion

Chapter 19

Hinata ran out of the throne room, the heat outside warming her soaked clothes. Her breath was ragged and shallow as she hurried down the steps down towards the market. Even as she neared the market she still could not hear a single sound from Nobodies or Atlanteans. Everything was eerily quiet and still as if nothing was happening.

"Kida! Milo!" She called as she reached the bottom of the steps, "Kamash?"

Her voice echoed through the empty streets with no reply. Trying to keep her breath under control, she hurriedly moved through every row of shops, looking to find a single person. Merchandise and food from the stands were strewn on the stone roads, as if there was a panic and scuffle.

Hinata slowed to a stop and turned around in place, asking herself, "Where did everyone go?"

"The Heart of Atlantis… it contains mysterious and mystical powers that even the Atlanteans themselves cannot fully comprehend." An accented male voice spoke behind Hinata, causing her to turn around.

As she turned she saw another Member of the Organization standing across the road from her. Reaching up he grabbed the sides of his black hood and pushed it back; revealing his short blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Hinata immediately scowled and summoned her blades.

The man smirked at her reaction and spoke, "It seems we both are after the same thing."

"Except I'm not trying to take out a whole civilization at the same time." Hinata bit back. "Where are the villagers, Luxord?"

Luxord chuckled, "I see that Demyx failed at distracting you."

"Where are the Atlanteans?" Hinata asked again, "I'm not in the mood for any more games."

Luxord reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards. Making them float in mid-air, he spread six of them in front of him, the Organization insignia on the backs facing Hinata. Flicking his wrist, he sent them flying towards Hinata. He had a devilish smirk as the cards suddenly enlarged to six feet and made a large circle around Hinata, encasing her inside.

"What is this?" Hinata yelled, only able to see the backs of the cards with the insignias.

As she spoke the card directly in front of her flipped over. Her eyes widened when she saw Kida flattened against the white card as if she were trapped inside.

"Kida!" Hinata exclaimed, running forward. She clawed the card, desperately trying to get a hold of the queen, but her hands met nothing but flat paper. Backing up, she looked at the horrified look on Kida's face and noticed that the crystal around her neck was missing. Then she glanced at the other cards surrounding her. "You turned all the villagers into your playing cards? Why?" She yelled, trying to peek over the wall to see Luxord.

"I'd rather we skip the explanations and get straight to business." Luxord told her, appearing out of a black smoke right behind her. Hinata spun around and backed up in surprise as he continued to speak. "I have a proposition. Give me the crystal and no one will be harmed."

Hinata scowled, "I'm not giving you anything!"

Luxord scoffed and asked, "You are willing to gamble Atlantean lives over one crystal?"

"You said yourself; it's more than just a crystal." She reminded him. "I promised the Queen that I wasn't going to let anyone in the Organization get their hands on the power source, and I intend to keep that promise."

"So a challenge it is." He replied simply. Opening his hand, the cards shrunk and stacked in his hands. He placed them in his coat pocket and pulled out another deck of cards.

Hinata backed up and activated her blades, trying to ignore her tired muscles and ragged breath. A dark purple mist surrounded Luxord as he leapt forward, sending his cards flying in front of him. Ducking as the magically sharp cards flew over her head; Hinata rolled towards her enemy and attempted to swipe her leg under him to make him lose balance, but he jumped back. Hinata easily got up to her feet and lodged her elbow into his chest making him suddenly lose his breath. He stumbled back but quickly regained focus as Hinata charged. Summoning up a large card it blocked Hinata's blades. She reflected off the surprisingly hard surface and fell back. Luxord smirked at her obvious lack of energy and clapped his hands together. Instantly a string of black and white thorns surrounded Hinata with a purple aura. She frantically looked around, recognizing the use of them. Before she could fully react, the aura exploded into a bright white light hitting her from every angle.

She let out a yell of pain and fell to the ground as the aura and thorns disappeared. Barely holding herself up by her arms, she coughed and tightly closed her eyes as the throbbing discomfort still swarmed through her.

Luxord calmly placed his cards back into his pocket and walked forward, "Now let's try this again." He knelt down in front of Hinata and told her, "Give me a crystal and no one else will have to get hurt."

"I'm…. I'm not giving… you anything…" She replied between shaking breaths.

With a sigh, he shook his head and stood back up, before straightening his sleeve. "I had hoped these would be civil negotiations… I do hate getting my hands dirty." Holding out his hand he summoned the Atlantean deck of cards.

A loud clanging sound caught his attention. He swiftly turned towards the sound that seemed to originate from further in the market.

"Did you… miss one of the villagers?" Hinata asked, glaring up at him as strength slowly regrew inside of her.

Without responding he turned away and left to find the source of the sound, knowing Hinata was in no state to flee.

Hinata clenched her teeth as he left, trying to focus on anything other than the pain. A small lick on her cheek caught her attention. "Jack?" She weakly asked, seeing her small floating ghost dog beside her. His ears were flat against his bony head and his tail down as he whimpered. Hinata gave him a small smile and assured him, "I'm alright…"

Jack nuzzled against her cheek and floated towards the ground, opening his mouth and dropping three vials on the stone. Hinata's eyes widened when she saw the potions and pushed herself to sit up. Grabbing one of the vials she quickly popped off the lid and drank the contents, immediately feeling the rush of power as it went into her system. Her exhaustion was still prevalent but the potion had greatly increased her adrenaline.

"Where did you get these?" She asked him in a hushed voice.

His ears perked up and he looked passed Hinata. She turned her head to look where he was gazing and she could see the familiar rusted copper of Ben as he was badly hiding behind a food stand. He gave her a small wave and despite herself, Hinata let out a small chuckle and relieved smile.

"You and Ben, huh?" She asked him. "Luxord didn't catch you guys?" Before Jack could reply, Hinata heard Luxord's footsteps approaching. Looking back at Jack she quickly told him, "I'm going to need your help with this, alright?"

Jack cocked his head to the side and nodded before giving her cheek a small lick. He immediately flew into the ground, disappearing into the stone. Once he was out of sight, Hinata went back to the same position she had been in before Luxord had left.

"Now then, where were we?" Luxord asked as he stopped in front of Hinata. "Ah, yes, the crystal." He remembered, summoning his deck of cards. "Are you certain you won't reconsider?"

Hinata closed her eyes and focused on the adrenaline the potion activated. She could feel her tattoo beginning to glow and moisture appearing around her fingertips. Taking a deep breath she instantly sat up and outstretched her hand, whipping out a stream of water straight into Luxord's chest. Luxord wasn't the slightest bit prepared as the jet of liquid crashed against him; causing him to stumble back and drop his deck of cards.

"Jack, get the cards!" Hinata yelled, quickly getting to her feet to get back into the fight.

With a bark, Jack rose out of the stone and went around easily picking up the cards with his mouth. Luxord sputtered, trying to get the unexpected water out of his face and looked up just in time to see Hinata charging towards him. He blocked her leg as she lifted up for a kick, but was unable to foresee her fist as she slammed it against the bridge of his nose.

"Gah!" He shouted out, doubling over and clasping both his hands over his nose. "Why would you-?"

"Why? Why the hell would you turn the entire city into cards and then blackmail me over their lives?" Hinata yelled at him. "And over a single crystal? What is wrong with you?"

Luxord straightened out placing his hands back to his side despite the blood dripping down his face and neck from his newly broken nose. "Are you lecturing me? If you haven't noticed, we are on opposing sides! Your moral standards mean nothing to me!" His cool demeanor seemingly vanished as he yelled in response. "And exactly when did you receive water magic?"

"Yeah, well you can thank your friend Demyx for that." She told him before demanding. "Now how do I turn the Atlanteans back into people?"

"Give me the crystal and I will tell you." He replied, trying to regain his composure and ignore his pain.

"Why are you wanting me to give it you?" She asked. "Why didn't you just take it from one of the villagers when you turned them into your playthings?"

"Don't you think I tried that?" He bit, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I attempted to take the crystals when I turned them into the cards; yet when I did their crystals vanished. But even if you do not give me what I want I have other ways to get it."

"Try me." Hinata goaded him, trying to hide the fact that she was still incredibly low on stamina.

Luxord snapped his fingers and behind him a row of Gambler Nobodies appeared. Bouncing a glowing dice in their hand and standing in a similar stance to Luxord.

Hinata glanced at the creatures and then back at Luxord. "You guys have personalized Nobodies now?" She asked him.

"Search for a crystal!" Luxord yelled. "And bring it to me." The Nobodies nodded their pointy heads before disappearing in a cloud of white smoke. Luxord smirked at Hinata's pained expression as they left. "Happy hunting." He told her before being engulfed in a black smoke and vanishing with a laugh.

"Fantastic…" Hinata groaned under her breath and rubbed the bridge of her nose, "But I suppose I really should have expected that."

Turning around, she spotted Jack back with Ben in the food stand. Allowing herself a moment to smile she walked back to them and saw the deck of Atlantean cards spread across the ground as Ben looked them over.

"Are these all the Atlanteans?" Ben asked.

Hinata shook her head, "I don't know. I hope so." She picked up the card that had Kida inside of it; thankfully the size of a regular playing card rather than six-feet tall like before. "Do you have any idea how to get them out of here? We could really use the help searching for those Nobodies."

"I don't… Milo might though." Ben told her with a shrug.

"Wait… Milo? He's not a card?" She asked.

"Nope!" Ben exclaimed, standing up with a handful of the cards. "Me, Jack, Milo, and Kamash got out of being turned into cards."

"Kamash too? Where are they? And how did you escape?" She asked in a slew.

Ben laughed, "You're beginning to sound like me, Hinata."

Hinata frowned, "Ben, we don't have time for this. We need them to help us find those Nobodies before they find a crystal."

Jack floated up and tugged on Hinata's sleeve, seemingly trying to lead her somewhere. She turned and followed her dog as he floated on ahead through the streets of the market. He moved passed the paved roads and began leading them through an area Hinata had never been to. Lush plant life and trees surrounded them as Hinata had to duck under large rocks and push through vines to keep up with Jack.

"Where are you taking me?" She called up to Jack, only getting a bark in response.

"He said to trust him." Ben told Hinata.

"Can you really understand what he says?" She asked him as she pushed aside a thick vine.

"Sure do! I speak all sorts of languages." He proudly explained. "Doggie-ism is a simple language to pick up."

"Doggie-ism…" Hinata repeated under her breath, somewhat positive that Ben made up that word on the spot.

Jack barked and sped passed a fallen column of stone. Hinata had to get down to her knees and scuttle underneath the stone in a small crawl space between it and the grassy ground. As she moved under it she could faintly hear Kamash and Milo's voice.

"Why are we collecting more of these orbs? Would it not be wiser to be assisting Hinata?" Kamash asked, a tone of annoyance plain in his voice.

"Because Kamash," Milo replied with strain in his voice as if he were trying to lift something. "While Hinata takes care of the fighting it's important we learn more about our enemies."

"All I want to know is how to kill them…"

"Ah… yes well there's more to strategy than just killing, Kamash." Hitting something metal, Milo grumbled, "Where is Audrey when you need her?"

Jack barked as he floated towards the men and they both looked up from their work to see Jack leading in Hinata and Ben. Hinata stood back up straight as she passed the column and smiled when she saw Kamash and Milo working over some sort of machine. The device seemed to be made of spare parts found around Atlantis, some of it stone while other parts metal. Milo was using a wrench, trying to tighten a knob on the machine while Kamash had his arms full of more orbs.

"Hinata you're safe!" Milo exclaimed, standing up straight from the machine. "Ben was worried something went wrong."

Hinata was about to explain, but was interrupted by Kamash. "Is the enemy vanquished?" He asked her walking forward and allowing the magic orbs to sink into Hinata.

She took a deep breath, feeling the orbs react to her exhaustion, giving her another boost. "Actually," She began, "Ben was right… something is definitely wrong. There are more than one Organization Members here and one of them turned all the other Atlanteans into cards."

Milo frowned, "I know…" He worriedly looked down at the wrench in his hands. "I was with Kida when it happened."

"Queen Kida ordered me to watch over her mate, er, husband; so I retreated here." Kamash explained. "I apologize for leaving the mess for you to clean up."

"Is Kida safe?" Milo asked.

Hinata looked over at Ben and held out her hand for him to hand her the cards. Once they were in her hands she handed them over to Milo. "As safe as she can be right now. Luxord, the man that did this is still out there. That's actually why I came to find you."

Milo quickly shifted through the cards and stopped when he found Kida's he softly ran his thumb over Kida's cheek. "Don't worry Kida, we'll figure something out."

"What do you need?" Kamash asked.

"Luxord released five Nobodies and told them to search for a crystal." Hinata told him.

"That does not sound like too much of a problem." Kamash replied, crossing his arms. "We have been fighting these enemies for weeks now."

"But these ones are different." She clarified. "They directly follow Luxord's command; they even look a little bit like him. Something tells me that they are going to be a lot tougher to deal with." She sighed, "I just don't even know where to start. They could be anywhere in the city right now."

Kamash placed his hand under his chin before his eyes lit up. "I have an idea, I'll be right back." Without waiting for a reply he turned around and ran further into the brush.

As he ran off, Hinata leaned back against the stone column behind her and watched as Milo reluctantly placed the cards into his pocket and continued working on the machine.

"What is that?" Hinata asked, motioning her head towards the large machine.

"It's sort of like the potion maker I created back in the throne room." He explained standing back. "With the power of the crystal it's relatively simple to create it; don't even need that many materials."

"Yeah," Hinata agreed, "That doesn't look like anything more than rocks and metal."

Milo gave a small laugh. "Like I said, it's mostly the crystal that makes it work. All I needed to do was create something to house the power. And thankfully I already had this wrench with me in the throne room."

Hinata nodded and watched him continue to work before noting. "I'm surprised how calm you seem about this. Especially with what happened to Kida."

"That is the precise reason I am building this." He quickly told her, not wanting to talk much about it. "Keep me distracted."

Hinata gave him a sad smile, unsure of what to say. She watched him in silence for a few minutes before asking, "Where did Kamash go? We really need to get going."

As if in response a loud whirring sound roared through the air and bursting through the trees what looked like a flying stone fish approached them. Hinata yelped in surprise and was about to run, before she spotted Kamash sitting on top of the machine. The large eyes of the fish were glowing a bright blue and its mouth was wide open. Kamash sat on its back and held out one of his hands to Hinata.

"We can use this to fly over the city. Hopefully find the enemy faster." Kamash quickly explained.

Hinata smirked, "I like the way you think." She walked forward and grabbed Kamash's wrist, letting him assist in hoisting her onto the giant device.

"Hinata, before you go." Milo ran forward and held up a handful of potions. "Here, you might need these."

Grabbing the vials and placing them into her pocket, Hinata nodded. "Thanks."

"How many of them have you had today?" Milo asked, yelling over the roaring sound of the flying machine. "I'm worried about over consumption and…"

Hinata frowned and interrupted, "I don't know, we can discuss it later if we really need to; but I can't help how much of them I'm taking right now. There is just too much going on. I'll deal with the consequences later."

Milo sighed, but nodded and took a couple steps back to allow them to fly away.

Hinata looked up at the others, "Ben keep Milo safe. Oh, and…" She reached into her pocket and pulled out her communications device. Tossing it to Ben, she ordered him. "And call DiZ and let him know what's going on." She wrapped her arms around Kamash's torso, "Alright, let's go."

Kamash nodded and placed his hand along a glowing hexagon on the fish's head. In an instant they lifted high into the air above the entire forest. In less than ten seconds they could see the entirety of Atlantis below them. Hinata clutched tightly to Kamash, feeling her stomach drop as they went higher in the air.

"Afraid of heights?" Kamash yelled back to her.

"Thankfully no," she replied, looking out at the city before them. "Let's check near around the market place first. Some of the villagers might be hiding out or someone might have dropped their crystal."

Kamash nodded and directed the machine to zoom to the market. They flew overhead, checking every street from their bird's eye view. "Do you see anything?" Kamash called back.

Hinata shook her head but then noticed the pointy pink head of the Nobody poking up over the top of a food stand. "Down there, the third street in front of us." She told him, pointing forward.

"Alright." He quickly lowered the machine and landed on the ground.

Without waiting for Kamash to fully land, Hinata flipped her legs over the side and jumped off. She landed on her feet on the hard ground and broke into a run. The Gambler Nobody stood in front of the stand where a young Atlantean girl was huddled whimpering. Her tiny hand was wrapped around her glowing crystal. The Nobody bounced its dice on its hand seconds from attacking.

"Hey!" Hinata yelled, trying to get its attention before it was too late.

Not caring about her yell or the blaring sound of the landing machine, the Nobody enlarged the tiny dice to two feet tall and rolled it towards the small girl. Hinata grabbed her plasma pistol and flipped the switch to charge it up. She waited the grating three seconds for it to power, watching the magically dangerous weapon approached the seemingly frozen stiff girl. The moment her gun lit up, ready to discharge, she aimed and pulled the trigger. The yellow burst shot out and pierced straight through the dice, causing it to immediately shatter. The Nobody swerved towards Hinata, finally giving her its attention.

"About time." Hinata muttered, placing her gun back into its holster.

The Nobody moved its pointy feet and drunkenly stepped towards Hinata, its body looking as if it were being dragged behind it. Hinata activated her blades in response and glanced beside her as Kamash ran up next to her holding his spear.

"Is there a trick with this one?" He whispered to her.

Shaking her head, she admitted, "I've never seen this kind before. It uses the same type of weapon as Luxord though. So it probably fights like it's a game."

"What?" He asked, not sure what she meant.

Standing back up straight, Hinata deactivated her blades and called out, "I challenge you!"

The Gambler Nobody stopped its movements, staring at Hinata for a moment before bringing up four cards. One of them had a red circle drawn in the center, while the other three had large black X's. Hinata stepped forward, looking at the circle card.

"How does this work?" She asked.

As if in response, the circle on the card in front of her suddenly switched places with one of the X's. The longer she watched the faster the circle changed cards.

"What?" She asked, taking a step back as the red circle became a blur from how quick it was moving.

"Find the circle." Kamash told her walking forward. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated; then with a quick reflex he threw out his hand and grabbed a card. The quick movements of the X's and the circle immediately ceased as Kamash held the card with the red circle in his hand.

"Wow," Hinata simply breathed.

The Gambler Nobody shook for a moment before jumping back and releasing a huge burst of yellow diamonds. It scurried back from the mess as if trying to make an escape.

Hinata looked at the diamonds around them. "Is this… munny?"

"It's getting away!" Kamash yelled, sprinting after the enemy.

"Right!" She shook her head and ran after Kamash.

They rushed though the street, trying to keep a good eye on the Nobody as it attempted to escape. Kamash raised his spear above his head, clasping his hand around the long wooden hilt. Pulling his back his arm for momentum he threw his weapon. The spear flew through the air piercing the Nobody right through its back and poking out its chest.

The Gambler stopped in its tracks, falling forward against the ground. Hinata activated her blades and caught up to it; slicing its head off and making it disappear in a bright light. Kamash slowed his run to a stop and pulled his spear out of the ground as more diamonds of munny surrounded them, left over from the Nobody.

Hinata picked up a handful of the munny and then chuckled, "That was impressive. How did you know what to do with those cards?"

Kamash smirked, "My son likes such games."

"You're a dad?" Hinata looked over at him surprised. "I didn't realize you were that old."

He shrugged and admitted, "I am younger than many people in our city, only three-thousand years…"

"What?" She interrupted him, "Wait, you're how old?" She quickly shook her head, "Never mind, we don't have time for this. That's one Nobody down, there should be four more."

Kamash chuckled, "Yes, we should make sure the child is alright. Perhaps we can bring her back to your metal-friend."

"Yeah," She nodded, watching as Kamash ran off ahead of her. "Three-thousand years old?" She whispered under her breath. Shaking her head, she pushed herself to run and followed after him.

As they returned to their flying machine, the girl was nowhere to be found. "We can only hope she found a better hiding place." Kamash surmised, climbing back onto the machine. He helped Hinata up, before adding, "We must continue the search."

"Yeah," Hinata nodded as she wrapped her arms around Kamash's torso.

Kamash placed his crystal into a small circular opening along the head of the fish, causing it to roar to life. Within an instant they lifted into the air and flew off to continue their search. The easily found three more of the Nobodies in various areas around Atlantis and soon all that remained was one.

"I suggest we head to the throne room!" Kamash called back to Hinata as he flew the fish over the city. "We have checked every part of Atlantis except there."

"Alright," Hinata nodded, "Let's go."

With ease, Kamash flew the vessel towards the top of the stairs leading into the throne room. As he landed in front of the throne doors, Hinata slid off the side and looked around. Everything was still and quiet; but something seemed off. Slowly, she made her way inside the room, seeing her disheveled reflection off the pond as she walked. As she reached the steps leading up to the throne she stopped and placed her hands on her hips.

"I don't think it's here." She spoke aloud. "Is there anywhere else we haven't looked?" She waited for a response but didn't hear one. "Kamash?" She asked, turning around to look for him. Her eyes widened when she saw Luxord back at the entrance with Kamash unconscious on the floor beside him. "Kamash!" She exclaimed, running forward until a sudden wall of water blocked her path. She slowed to a stop and whipped her head around, seeing Demyx standing beside the throne with a sheepish grin on his face.

"It's amazing how something so powerful is just worn around these people's necks as if it were a trophy." Luxord spoke up, making Hinata turn back towards him. She could see him through the clear wall of water as he knelt down to Kamash and grabbed the crystal resting above his chest. "They do not have the slightest inkling of how much power they possess."

"I see you fixed your face," Hinata interrupted his wannabe monologue. "Pity, I think I preferred it broken."

Luxord frowned as he stood back up straight, crystal in hand, and walked towards Hinata. As he passed through the wall of water, Demyx parted the liquid to allow him dry passage. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you have caused?"

"I could ask you the same question." She replied, glancing down at the crystal in his hand.

"It's no matter," He continued, holding up the crystal so he could get a good look at it. "I have what I came for. Now I will deliver you and this power source to Lord Xemnas…"

"Right…" Hinata slowly spoke as she reached into her pocket. She felt five small glass vials at her fingertips. Grabbing two of them she lifted them out of her pocket and backed away a couple steps from Luxord. Before either of them could ask what she was doing she popped off the tiny lids and poured the potions into her mouth. Feeling the energy coarse through her she grabbed the water from the pond and shot a barrage of orbs towards Demyx. He held out his hand and stopped a majority of them in midair, but doing so caused him to drop the wall of water. He shot the remaining orbs back at Hinata but she rolled out of the way of them and sent a spiral of water back at him from behind, hitting him at the back of the head. She ducked under a jet stream he barreled towards her and drank another potion.

Luxord watched the two of them fight with a smirk on his face. "Your resistance is futile!" He called out to Hinata, just waiting for her to waste her energy.

"Think again." Kamash spoke up from right behind him. Luxord's eyes widened and was about to turn around to fight, but Kamash was quick and grabbed one of his arms, throwing him to the ground. Placing his foot on top of Luxord's back, Kamash continued, "I do not know who you are, but you obviously underestimate Atlanteans. We never stay down for very long."

"I know your kind well enough." Luxord replied, shoving off Kamash's foot and scuffling to his feet.

Hinata blocked an orb of water, sending it back towards Demyx to distract him, before sprinting over to Luxord. Without slowing her speed she barreled straight into his back, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. She quickly moved off of him and back to her feet as he struggled to regain his breath. Taking the opportunity, Kamash grabbed Luxord's wrists and forced him up before pinning his hands behind his back. Once standing, Hinata placed her right knuckles above his chest and glared right into Luxord's eyes. Drops of sweat and water dripped down both of their faces as they stared at each other.

"All I have to do is clench my hand and you're done." Hinata told him, not breaking eye contact. "My laser-blade will activate and go straight through you." Glancing behind her for a moment she yelled. "And Demyx, you even think of trying anything, I'll kill him and go for you next!"

"Hey I could care less!" Demyx interrupted sitting and lounging on the throne. "It's not my life on the line."

Luxord groaned at Demyx's apathetic response before quietly admitting to Hinata, "You have played the game quite well." He frowned as Kamash grabbed the crystal out of his hand and then added, "You hold the cards now, what happens next?"

"You are going to free all the Atlanteans from the cards and then go back to the Organization and tell them that none of you can ever come back here to Atlantis. Not Heartless, not Nobodies, and especially no one from the Organization."

"And you expect them to listen?" He asked

"These Atlanteans might not realize their full power yet, but after being attacked by you I'm sure they're going to figure it out to protect themselves. And for your sake, I hope you're not around when they do." She pointed out. "Because if any of you ever come back here I guarantee you will not be leaving alive."

"Anything else?" He asked, wincing as Kamash had the tip of his spear pressed against his back.

"What does the Organization want me for?" She asked him.

"You don't know?" He asked.

"Just… answer the question." She told him, pressing her knuckles into him.

"I am the tenth Member of the Organization, you really believe I would receive that type of information?" He asked her.

"You mean you're just blindly following orders?" She asked him, anger rising in her voice. "You don't even know what Xehanort wants with me?" She shook her head and changed the subject, "Never mind, fine. Release the Atlanteans. Then you can go." She noticed Kamash tense as the words left her mouth.

"I'll need one of my hands." He told her, pulling on Kamash's grip.

Hinata looked up at Kamash and quickly nodded her head. Hesitantly, Kamash let go of one of Luxord's hands. Luxord ripped away from his grasp and snapped his fingers. In an instant the sound of the Atlantean people filled the streets of the city as they each were freed from their card jails.

"Now leave." Hinata told him, pulling back her hand from his chest. "Kamash release him."

"But…" He objected.

"He can't leave if you're still holding on to him." She interrupted, glancing up at him. "He knows he lost, he won't try anything."

With a grumble, Kamash roughly shoved Luxord away from him. Luxord straightened out and respectfully nodded his head towards Hinata.

"This is far from over." He told her.

"I'd be disappointed if it wasn't." She replied, watching as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Turning around she saw Demyx still lounged on throne eating fruit from a bowl. Rolling her eyes, she called out to him, "Uh, excuse me Your Highness."

"Huh?" He asked, looking away from his bowl of fruit. "Uh oh… did you kill him? I better get out of here." Without waiting for a reply he instantly disappeared in black smoke.

When they were gone Kamash stomped in front of Hinata and demanded, "Why did you let them escape with their lives? Did you not see everything they did to my people?"

Hinata looked up at him undeterred. "They were following orders, Kamash. I told your Queen that I was going to try my best to make sure no one died; and thankfully no one did."

"That promise should not have included our enemies." He objected, anger obviously in his bright eyes. "Those men tried to kill us multiple times. They would not have shown you the same mercy you did to them today."

"I know that, and that's one of the only things that separates me from them!" She replied, her own voice rising. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down and walked past Kamash to leave the throne room. "Look, what matters is that your city is safe now. Everyone is free from those cards and your life source is safe."

"For now," He pointed out, making Hinata stop walking. "I know how war and military works. Those men are going to go back to their commanding officer and tell them of what happened and how you had a moment of weakness. It may not be soon, but someday they are going to return but in greater numbers that even with you here we cannot defend against."

"Well if they do, it's not going to be because I let them live," She turned back towards him and defended herself. "If your whole scenario is right, Xehanort wouldn't care if they returned alive or not. If he wants your power source he will find a way to get it!"

"Basically you are telling me that even this is not a victory. That we are only postponing the inevitable."

"No… that's not what I meant." She sighed, placing her hand along her heated forehead. "This was a victory. The Organization knows that you guys are protected and it's going to take more than just a few Nobodies to take you down. Now that you know they are out there, you can start working on furthering your technology and your weapons, that way you're prepared for when they do return… if they ever do." She looked down at the calm pond and assured him, "And if those same Members show up again, you won't have to worry about me trying to stop you from defending your people; because I probably won't even be here."

"Good," he bit, walking past her. "There isn't room for hesitation in my military. I should have known your gender would prevent you from taking their life. Queen Kida is the only woman I have ever known capable to withstand the pressure of war. I should have killed that man when I had the chance."

Hinata whipped towards him with an angry scowl, "If you did your people would probably still be inside those cards!" She stomped towards him and placed her hand over her pounding heart. "And my gender has nothing to do with my choice to let them live. I did it because I want to do everything I can to separate myself from whom they are and who they represent. I know they would have killed me without even blinking for a moment of hesitation and that fact alone honestly terrifies me. I will never be like that." She placed her hand back down to her side and clenched her fists. "Don't ever just assume that because I am a woman I can't make hard decisions." Pushing past him, she began walking out of the room. Stopping at the entrance she added, "And the least you can do is thank me for everything else I did!" She turned towards him and vented, "I make one mistake and you're acting like everything I've done has been a failure. I'm sorry, who trained your entire military on how to defeat the Nobodies? Who just took on two Organization Members and defended your people? I could have spent these last two weeks back home with my boyfriend, but instead…"

"I'm grateful for everything you've done." Kamash cut her off. Walking forward, he added. "But you have yet to grasp the severity of what you have just done. These are my people, not yours. The choice to let those men live was not your call."

"Then why did you let Luxord go when I told you to?" She asked him. "If it wasn't my call you could have killed him right after he freed the Atlanteans."

"Because I wanted to trust you." He told her. "You have done so much for my people and you knew more about those men than I; so I trusted you to handle the situation. But I did not expect you to just let them walk away." Hinata was about to go back to her argument, when he added. "They left with very substantial information about our city. They know the land, how our military operates, and worst of all they know how to incapacitate my people. When you leave here you will never have to think of us again, but we are going to be stuck here just waiting for them to return. And if they do, our blood will be on your hands."

Hinata's eyes widened as Kamash turned away and exited the room. He climbed on top of the stone fish and activated it; flying back towards the lower city. As he left, Hinata wrapped her arms around her waist, hearing Kamash's final words echo through her mind.

Her exhaustion low, but her emotions rising, a tear streamed down her already moist face. "What have I done…?" She whispered to herself, her voice breaking at the last word as she buried her face in her hands.

Kamash easily flew the machine towards the city, his mind still brimming with anger over Hinata's actions. Near the edge of the market he caught sight of Kida embracing Milo. He lowered the fish to the ground and hopped off, immediately bowing in front of Kida.

"My Queen," He spoke, "I am relieved to find you safe."

Kida pulled away from Milo but kept her hand around his as she turned towards Kamash with a smile on her face. "Kamash! You and Hinata have done it, our people are free!" When Kamash didn't respond she glanced around and asked, "Where is Hinata?"

"She is back in the throne room…" He began to tell her.

"Is she alright?" Kida interrupted him with worry laced in her voice.

"Yes," He nodded, standing to his feet, before adding, "But if I may speak freely Your Highness, I do not think we should give her a crystal."

Kida gave him a confused look, "Why ever not? She fulfilled her end of the bargain, did she not? She has more than earned her reward."

"Yes, but she allowed those men in the black coats to escape." He informed her. "She had more than one opportunity to stop them, but instead she allowed them to leave unharmed." He paused and tried to keep his voice from rising in anger. "Your Highness, those men have vital information about our city… if they only tell their own leader…"

"I hear your concerns." Kida interrupted him again, her expression unreadable. "Thank you Kamash, I will take care of the situation from here. Attend to your family."

Kamash placed his forearm over his chest and bowed before turning to leave her presence. As he left Kida let out her breath and glanced up at the steps that led up to her throne room.

"Kida," Milo spoke up, gently grabbing her arm. "Are you alright?"

She downcast her eyes and replied, "I do not know Hinata's intentions of letting those men leave with their lives, but I do not want to assume the worst of her. She has more than proven herself to us."

"Some people have a difficult time with bringing harm to others." He told her. "From what I know of Hinata, this wasn't just another job for her; she took it personally. Her mind was getting those men out of the city, not destroying them."

"I hope you are right." She quietly responded, pulling away from his touch. "I must go to her." She took a couple steps forward before adding, "Speak with Enula and have her arrange a feast. Despite the circumstances I believe a celebration is in order."

"Ah, yes I agree." Milo nodded, watching Kida walk away.

Kida silently walked up the steps towards the throne room, turning back when she heard a bark behind her. She glanced beside her to see Jack floating up. She gave him a small smile and asked, "Do you wish to see Hinata?" Her smile grew when Jack nodded.

They went up together until they reached the top and entered the room. As Kida walked inside she could hear quiet sobs and spotted Hinata standing beside the pond crying. Her clothes were ripped in various places with spatters of blood and mud all over the wet fabric clinging to her skin. Kida frowned when she saw her is such a disheveled state.

Quietly walking up to her, she lightly placed her hand along Hinata's shoulder, "Hinata…" She softly spoke.

Hinata jumped from the contact and backed away. Clearing her throat she used the back of her hands to wipe away her tears and force a strained smile. "Oh… Your Highness…" She spoke, her voice weak. Clearing her throat again, she tried to speak, clearly, "I'm glad to see you're safe." She sniffled and Jack flew up beside her and licked her cheek.

Kida lightly smiled in response and went straight to business. "I spoke with Kamash…"

"I-I'm so sorry…" Hinata interrupted her, her voice breaking as she threatened to break down again. "I didn't mean to put your city in more danger. I just… I don't know… I couldn't..." Her voice trailed off as another tear fell down her cheek before she roughly brushed it away.

"You are exhausted." Kida told her, abruptly changing the subject. She walked up to her and wrapped her arm around her shoulder to lead her past the throne. "Come with me."

Without objection, Hinata silently allowed Kida to lead her away. Passing the throne, Kida approached a draping sheer veil and pushed it aside; revealing a large bedroom with a vast round bed in the center against the wall and a patio overlooking the entire city below. Kida led Hinata to the bed and helped her sit down along the edge. Hinata dazedly sat down on the plush cover, her eyes red from crying but also heavy from exhaustion. She stared down at her hands in her lap, not completely sure what was happening or if she really cared.

"Change into this." Kida told her placing a light-blue robe beside her, "And get some rest."

Hinata glanced over at the clothes and shook her head before softly asking, "Why are you being nice to me?"

"I know you did not have ill-intent with allowing those men to live." She simply told her. "You have done much for my people and are exhausted because of it. So please get some rest, I will wake you in a few hours." She gave a small smile at Hinata before turning to leave the room.

Right before Kida pushed away the veil to leave, Hinata called out to her, "Thank you." When Kida glanced back at her she added quietly, "I know I don't deserve this."

Kida turned around and left the room, leaving Hinata and Jack alone. Hinata grabbed the blue robe, the fabric soft against her skin, and stared at it for a moment. Standing up she placed the fabric back onto the bed and began unbuckling her overalls, taking off the soggy clothes and changing into the soft robe. Without taking a moment to see how she looked she laid back onto the bed and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow; barely noticing as Jack snuggled up beside her.

A soft hand on her shoulder caused her to stir. Opening her still heavy eyes, Hinata saw Kida leaning over her.

"Three hours have passed," She informed Hinata. "We must get you ready."

"Ready?" She asked, her voice barely over a whisper. She sat up and rubbed her eyes while yawning, "Ready for what?"

Kida chuckled softly, "Get ready and you will see." She stepped back as Hinata stood from the bed. "I have already laid out a new outfit for you. Once you are changed I will attend to your hair."

Hinata groggily nodded and glanced at another blue outfit laid on top the foot of the bed. Once Kida left the room to give her privacy, Hinata undid her robe and put on the new outfit. The top was low on her shoulders and the sleeves reached to her palms. A dark blue design edged the front of the fabric over the pale blue underneath. It cut off right under her chest, baring a majority of her waist. The bottom was a floor length skirt, much to Hinata's distaste, with a dark blue sash falling along the front that had a similar design to the shirt. She looked over at Jack, who still lay on the bed, and motioned her hands towards her outfit.

"Well, what do you think?" She asked him, trying to smile.

Jack barked happily and floated up to her, licking her on the cheek.

Hinata giggled and wiped away slobber before heading towards the exit of the room. She pulled away the sheer veil to see Kida standing right outside with her arms crossed as she waited. Kida's eyes lit up when she saw Hinata.

"You look beautiful!" She told her, grabbing Hinata's hands. "Now come, I must do something about your hair."

She began to lead away but Hinata stopped, "Wait, why are doing this for me?"

"Everything will be revealed once you are ready." Kida reminded her, pulling her along.

She led her back into the bedroom in front of a large glass mirror hanging on the wall. Hinata stared at her reflection as Kida ran her hands through her red hair. Her eyes were still red from crying, but she felt somewhat refreshed from the short slumber. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax as Kida softly tugged on her hair, forcing it into a style.

"Alright, open your eyes." Kida told her after several minutes.

Hinata opened her eyes and looked at her reflection. The front of her hair was braided with Atlantean beads while the back of her head was pinned up in a golden metal and blue band. Hinata gave a small smile in response, "It's beautiful."

Without giving her more time to admire, Kida excitedly tugged on her arm, "Alright, now the time has come."

"For what?" Hinata asked, following after Kida as she led them out of the room, back into the throne room.

The throne room was dark as the day had fallen to night while Hinata had slept. Hinata could see the pond reflecting the pale light of the moon, giving a dim ambience to the silent room. She followed Kida out the stone doors to the top of the stairs and immediately gasped at the sight before her. Below them throughout the city, Hinata could see hundreds of Atlanteans lining the streets; their blue crystals lighting their faces. The moment they saw Hinata at the top of the steps they erupted into cheers.

Kida looked over at Hinata and told her, "You have done so much for our city. A celebration was put together in your honor."

Hinata's cheeks flushed and she stammered, "W-what, for me? But, after what I did…"

"Yes, but there is so much more you have done for us." Kida reminded her, "You have more than earned a place among my people as well as a crystal."

A smile appeared on Hinata's face and a tear trickled down her cheek, but not one of sadness.

Kida noticed her emotion and grabbed her hand, "Come, we must begin the celebration."

Hinata nodded and followed Kida down the steps, smiling at every Atlantean they passed while also feeling uncomfortable receiving the attention from so many people at once. Kida led her to a large feast where Milo, Ben, and Kamash sat amongst other Atlanteans. Ben excitedly invited Hinata to sit beside him, telling her everything he told DiZ and what he had been up to since everyone was freed from the cards. She listened to him, trying to zone out the surrounding people making her self-conscious. Every couple of minutes another Atlantean would stop by and personally thank Hinata for her efforts and work. She would smile and tell them it was the least she could do, but she couldn't help but glance at Kamash; knowing he knew the whole story. She barely ate her food, not being a big fan of Atlantean cuisine and excused herself from the table. She walked away from the celebration, hiding behind a shop and leaning against the stone wall.

"I don't deserve this…" She whispered to herself.

"No you don't." Kamash spoke, startling her. She turned towards him as he came behind the same shop. "But you do deserve thanks. You did much for my people."

Hinata sighed and crossed her arms. "But you said so yourself, I screwed up. None of it's going to matter."

"I… apologize about what I said before." He told her. "I was allowing my anger to talk and I was brash with my actions." Hinata reluctantly smiled at him and he added, "I still feel the same way; however I should have expressed it differently. You should not be hiding away from the praise because of one mistake."

"Thank you." She quietly replied. "It's not just that, I get uncomfortable in crowds. I mostly hid back here to be alone."

"Oh… I'll take my leave then." He bowed his head and turned away.

"No you're fine; I'll walk back with you." She told him, walking up beside him. "I feel a lot better."

Kamash nodded and they made their way back to the celebration. Loud music was playing as a small band of Atlanteans played various horns and bongos. A few people danced as many more talked with each other. Many of them came to speak with Hinata once she rejoined the party; thanking her for her devotion for their city. She merely smiled and nodded in response, already feeling overwhelmed again; but having Kamash's calm stoic presence beside her kept her grounded.

When they got a moment of peace she asked, "Shouldn't you be with your family?"

"My mate is used to being separated from me when I am working." He simply answered.

"But that doesn't mean you can't spend time with them." She pointed out, "Go on, I'll be fine. I'll find Ben if I really need someone."

"I'm not sure how helpful your metal friend will be." He smirked, "But very well, I will go." He turned towards her and slightly bowed his head, "If I do not see you before you go, it was an honor serving with you."

"Uh, thank you." Hinata replied, unsure what to say. "It was an honor serving with you too."  
Kamash turned and quickly disappeared in the crowd. The celebration continued with the same tone for a few hours. Little by little the Atlanteans began heading back to their homes. As they were thinning out, Hinata found another hiding spot behind a shop and pulled out her communications device she had retrieved from Ben earlier. She pressed the blue button in the center and waited for a couple seconds until DiZ's hologram appeared, slightly disappointed that Riku had not also appeared.

"Hinata, it is rather late." DiZ greeted her.

"Yeah, sorry about that." She apologized, "I just wanted to let you know that I should be heading back to Twilight Town in a couple hours."

A small smile appeared on DiZ's face, "That is pleasant news indeed. I will be sure to inform Riku."

"Where is he?" She asked.

"He has already gone to sleep for the night, but I will awaken him."

"Oh, you don't have to." She told him, before glancing away for a moment. "Also… The Organization Members that were here…. Uh, they escaped, and I'm worried about them coming back."

DiZ nodded, "I understand your concerns; however, you completed your mission; whatever the future holds in store for the Atlanteans is out of your hands."

"But… I feel like it's my fault." She confessed. "Is there any way we can give them a way to contact us if they return?"

"Absolutely not," DiZ shook his head. "Your Navigator giving them vital information was bad enough; we cannot give them any piece of our technology. That would be blatantly disregarding the World Order; you are not to meddle in their affairs."

"Well then what was everything I've just done these last two weeks?" She asked, annoyance rising in her voice. "I taught their military how to fight against Nobodies and even helped them keep the Organization away; that sounds an awful lot like meddling."

"Those were necessary." He reminded her. "You must understand, Hinata, the Atlanteans' technology is nowhere as advanced as our world. Giving them a way to contact us could entirely change their purposed technological course. Not to mention that if they are given a communications device they will be able to hear each of our transmissions."

"Is there a way to make the device one way? Like only they can contact us but they won't get our transmissions?" She asked.

"Hinata…" He warned.

Hinata frowned, "Alright, never mind… I understand. Thanks anyways."

"I look forward to your timely return." DiZ cut the transmission.

Letting out a sigh, Hinata leaned her head back on the wall behind her. She shook her head and pushed off the wall to rejoin the party. As she walked back she could see that mostly every Atlantean had cleared out. The market was mostly bare, except for Ben standing beside Milo and Kida.

Ben caught sight of Hinata approaching and waved, "Hinata! The Atlanteans gave us all sorts of goodies! Wait until you see the ship! I already beamed it up with Jack!"

Hinata forced a smile, "That's great Ben, thank you." She walked up to Kida and Milo and told them, "Thank you, for everything. You've been more than accommodating to us."

"And you have done more than enough for my people." Kida told her wrapping her arms around Hinata in a hug.

"We have one last thing for you." Milo spoke up as Kida pulled away. He held up a brown necklace with a single blue crystal hanging from the bottom.

Hinata looked at the crystal with a genuine smile and then back up at Milo and Kida. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Kida nodded as she took the necklace from Milo and placed it over Hianta's head. "You are always welcomed among my people."

The blue crystal lit up with a bright glow the moment it rested around Hinata's neck. She could feel the warmth of it against her skin.

"We know you will have to give this one up, so we have another one waiting for you on your ship." Milo told her.

Hinata looked up surprised. "What? Really?" A smile appeared on her face she walked forward and pulled both Kida and Milo into a hug. "Thank you both so much. I won't forget this." They hugged her back before she pulled away. She placed her hand around her crystal and turned to head over to Ben so they could beam back up to the ship; but she stopped short. She looked down at her feet and tightly closed her eyes with her free hand clenched. Shaking her head she abruptly turned back towards Kida and reached into a pocket in her skirt, pulling out the communications device. "I want you to have this." She told them, walking up to Kida and waiting for her to take it. "It's a way to contact me if the Organization comes back."

"Are you certain you wish us to keep this?" Kida asked her looking at the contraption.

"Yes," She nodded, "All you have to do is press the blue button in the center and it will connect. The only time you can use it though is if the Organization is here, alright?" She looked right into Kida's eyes. "That's the only time I will be able to respond."

"I understand." Kida nodded, "Thank you."

Hinata gave her an unsure smile, "Of course…" She glanced back at Ben before adding softly, "I don't want to make you guys deal with the consequences of my mistake. If the Organization comes back I'm going to make things right."

Kida clasped her hand around the device, "I know you will."

Giving a small nod, Hinata turned to walk back to Ben. Once she was beside him, he immediately beamed them back to the ship so they could make their way back to Twilight Town.


	20. Confession

Chapter 20

The pale moonlight basked the ship with its light as The Highwind entered the atmosphere of Twilight Town. Hinata stood excitedly on the deck, her hands tightly grasping the metal railing while Ben gently flew the ship back to the mansion. She had thankfully gotten some sleep on the trip back from Atlantis. A smile appeared on her face when she saw the familiar old mansion in the distance. It slowly grew in size as they approached it and once the ship was hovering over the backyard garden, Ben lowered them to the ground.

When they had landed, Ben and Jack powered down the engines and Hinata waited impatiently for the metal ramp to lower from the top of the deck to the ground. As she hurriedly walked down the ramp, the glass door leading into the mansion swung open. Riku walked outside wearing a pair of navy flannel pants and white tank-top. A grin appeared on Hinata's face when she saw him and she broke into a run, immediately tackle hugging him. Riku laughed as he stumbled back a couple steps from her force and wrapped his arms around her. They stood in an embrace for several seconds, taking each other in after being separated for the past two and a half weeks.

Eventually, Riku spoke up, "Welcome back."

Hinata let out a breath and squeezed him a little tighter before pulling back to see his face. "Thank you." They looked at each other for a moment before she asked, "How did you know I was coming back tonight?"

"DiZ let me know." He told her.

She sighed, "I told him to let you sleep."

He shrugged, "Well I have been telling him every night to let me know if he hears anything from you; so…"

"Does he ever sleep?" She asked, interrupting him.

"If he does I don't know when." He replied with a chuckle. A cool breeze brushed past them, making both of them shiver. "Come on, let's get inside."

Reaching behind him, Riku reopened the glass door leading back into the mansion and allowed Hinata to walk in. The temperature inside was not much warmer from outdoors, but the wind had ceased. Hinata rubbed her bare arms as she walked in, noticing a thin string of white Christmas lights wrapped around the stair railings leading up to the second floor.

She smiled as Riku closed the door behind them and mentioned, "You put up some decorations!"

"Yeah a little bit," He nodded, "DiZ didn't like the idea so much, so I told him we'd keep it simple."

Hinata chuckled, "Well I'm glad he let us put up something at least."

"Don't worry; I put up a tree in our room. I haven't put on the ornaments yet, I didn't know if you would want to help with that."

"I'd love to." She glanced over at him with a smile still plastered on her face. Her expression slowly faltered as she noticed Riku's hard to read expression. "What is it?" She asked.

"You look different." He replied, turning towards her. Raising one of his hands he lightly brushed his thumb over a thin blue lined tattoo her left cheek. He felt a tiny surge of electricity as his skin rubbed the surface. From where he stood the tattoo was barely visible; only a dim blue outline of a crescent and two circles.

Hinata closed her eyes as Riku examined her tattoo resisting the urge to lean into his touch. A similar rush of electricity went through her the moment he touched her cheek, making her face flush. She opened her eyes when Riku abruptly retracted his hand.

"It's…uh… glowing," Riku slowly told her, his voice unsure. "Is it supposed to do that?"

Reaching up, Hinata ran her fingertips over the tattoo; it was cold to her touch. "Uh, usually it only glows when I'm using my magic and I usually can tell when it's happening." She admitted, "This seems different."

"So you really did get magic then?" He asked, crossing his arms.

Moving her hand from her cheek to in front of her, she closed her eyes and summoned a small orb of water to appear above her palm. As it formed she could feel her tattoo glowing from her magic. She opened her eyes to see a small smirk on Riku's face.

"That's… awesome." He admitted, watching the clear orb ripple above her hand. "I've heard of magicians being able to summon spells, but nothing like this. This is something like Organization power." He stopped short when he noticed Hinata wince from the reference and added. "Uh, not that that's a bad thing. I just mean it's really cool and unique."

Hinata made the orb disappear and sighed, "No it's fine. My powers are a lot like Demyx's. He said so himself."

"So he was there." He replied, "I couldn't understand too much of what Ben was trying to tell me and DiZ when he called today."

With a small chuckle, Hinata shrugged, "Yeah sorry, I was in a hurry and didn't have time to call myself."

"What all happened?" He asked.

She averted her gaze to look outside through the glass doors. The pale moonlight reflected off the brightly colored flowers as Ben and Jack played a game of tag.

"Hinata?" Riku asked when she didn't reply.

"I'd…" She started before inhaling deeply. Looking back to him she asked, "Can it wait? I'd rather tell both you and DiZ about it at the same time and it's pretty heavy; so maybe we could just hang out tonight without worrying about it. It's been a really long day and we haven't seen each other in a few weeks." She reached forward and grabbed his hands. "And we have a lot to catch up on."

He lightly squeezed her hands, "Alright."

"Thank you." She gave him a relieved smile.

He smirked, "I only agreed because we do have a lot to catch up on."

Before Hinata could reply she pulled on her hands, causing her to stumble towards him. Once she was close to him he immediately kissed her and moved his hands to the sides of her waist. Hinata smiled as she kissed him back and ran her hands up his arms before wrapping them behind his neck. A low rumble interrupted them. Hinata broke their lock with her cheeks warmed with embarrassment and Riku chuckled.

"I'm uh… a little hungry." She admitted as her stomach gave another growl.

Pulling back his hands from her waist, Riku grabbed her hand and told her, "Come on, let's get you something to eat."

He led her across the foyer towards the hallway on the right side of the mansion. They walked passed their room towards the large kitchen. The entire floor was a red-oak wood paneling, scuffed from age and use. Along the walls were old wooden counters with newly marbled tops. A tall black fridge stood at the corner beside an electric stove with a glass top and random expensive looking appliances on top of a few of the counters.

"I haven't been in here since you first gave me a tour of the place." Hinata mentioned with a soft laugh. "Is there even any food in here?"

Riku smirked, "There's plenty of food here."

Riku let go of Hinata's hand as he went towards the fridge and pulled it open to retrieve some food. Hinata slowly walked forward and sat on a cushioned stool standing in front of a counter island. She silently watched as Riku retrieved some vegetables and some chicken from the fridge. He pulled out a cutting board from under one of the counter drawers and began chopping the food up with ease before grabbing a pan and starting the stove.

As he began placing the newly cut veggies and meat on the heated pan, Hinata spoke up, "Alright, when did you learn how to cook?"

"I've always known how to cook." He told her, not looking away from the sizzling food.

"But we've been eating out every day since I've been here." She pointed out, crossing her arms. "I just assumed that's what you guys do around here. You go and pick up the food at some restaurant because none of you can or want to cook."

He reduced the heat on the stove and placed a lid over the pan before turning to face Hinata. "That's not completely wrong." He admitted. "But usually I'm the one that cooks around here. Namine is so busy with Sora's memories and DiZ rarely leaves his lab; so I try to keep the place somewhat clean and make sure everyone's fed."

"How often did you cook before I got here?" She asked.

"Every day," He shrugged.

"But what about when you're on a mission?"

"I make sure to cook extra so they have leftovers."

"Why have we been going out every night then?"

"Because…" He rubbed the back of his neck and confessed, "Because I wanted to, I guess. I like going out to different places with you and you really seemed to like seeing all the new things in Twilight Town."

"Oh…" She blushed. "I had no idea."

"When I first moved in here the place was a wreck," he explained, "More than it is now, I mean. I'm pretty sure the only thing DiZ ate was Sea Salt ice cream. He has me go out and buy him boxes of it every time I go shopping." He sighed and turned around to check on the food. "But anyways, I got tired of eating out every day pretty quick. I mean, DiZ has enough munny that I could get whatever I wanted wherever I wanted, but sometimes I just wanted to stay in for once. So I cleaned up the kitchen and convinced DiZ to let me get new appliances and stuff so I could cook." He chuckled, "You should have seen the stove that was here before. It was a disaster waiting to happen."

Hinata chuckled in response and watched as Riku stirred and seasoned her food. "I've dated you for over a year now and I have never known you could cook." She sighed, "I feel like a bad girlfriend."

"Well it's not like you had a reason to think I was any good at it." He shrugged as he turned off the stove and got her food onto a plate. "Besides you haven't tried it yet; for all you know it could be awful."

As he placed the plate of steaming food in front of her, she admitted, "I have no doubt it tastes better than anything I could come up with." She grabbed a fork and grabbed a bite of the chicken a few of the veggies. Her eyes widened the moment she put it in her mouth and before she even swallowed the first bite she began quickly eating the rest of it.

Riku smirked, "I'll take that as you like it?"

She paused for a moment and waited until her mouth was empty before informing him. "I hope you've missed cooking because I don't ever want to go out again." Riku laughed in response and turned to take care of the dishes as Hinata asked, "Seriously though, who taught you learn how to cook?"

"My mom, surprisingly." He told her. "Well, she wasn't actually the one to teach me, but when I was growing up she had these summer cooking classes she would take and she would drag me along with her to them." He began washing the cutting board in the soapy sink. "I always hated going to them because I wanted to be hanging out at the island with Kairi and probably Sora; but despite my attitude I actually learned a lot. And with how often my parents were gone once I got older, the skills came in handy."

"Well let me be the first to say I'm thankful you took those classes." She replied, "Something your family did right."

He paused for a moment before replying, "Yeah, I guess so." He finished washing the dishes while Hinata ate. When he was done, he dried his hands on a dish towel and turned back towards Hinata as she took the last bite.

"That was delicious." She told him with a smile. "I could barely eat the food in Atlantis and I ate all the food on the ship the first week I was there."

He smiled as he reached forward and grabbed her plate. "What type of food was in Atlantis?"

"A lot of weird things I've never heard of," She admitted. "And most of it was still moving when they served it." She shuddered. "So I didn't eat much while I was gone."

"Yeah, that's one of the hard parts about going to different worlds." He chuckled as he rinsed off her plate. "Like that foamy drink you gave me back on Montressor." He glanced back at her as she sheepishly grinned.

"Oh, yeah, you remember that don't you?" She awkwardly laughed.

He scoffed as he dried his hands again, "Yes, of course I remember that."

Hinata got up from her seat and walked over to him. Leaning against the counter she reminded him, "But I made up for it by having Sarah bring you out a limeade with extra ice, remember? I know it's your favorite."

He moved to stand in front of her, placing a hand against the edge of the counter on either side of her. "I suppose that's true." He admitted, leaning forward and kissing her. When he pulled back he smirked, "You're right, I am a pretty good cook."

She looked up at him confused for a moment before realizing what he meant. She lightly hit his chest with a laugh, "You are so weird!"

"What? Am not!" He objected while also laughing. "I was just saying." He was about to kiss her again, but she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Nu-uh," She told him, moving his arm so she could get out of his embrace. "You're not kissing me again until I brush my teeth."

"Oh whatever," He scoffed, grabbing her wrist and spinning her back towards him. He immediately kissed her deeply and when he pulled away, he pointed out. "Your tattoo is glowing again."

"Huh, really?" She asked with her cheeks heated from the kiss. "I don't know why it keeps doing that." She thought for a moment before remembering. "It also glowed when I was in Atlantis fighting Demyx, like when I wasn't using my magic."

"Did Demyx kiss you too?" He asked, holding back a laugh when Hinata glared at him in response.

"No, I had just found out I was being played and I was really mad… then he mentioned that my face was glowing." She explained.

"Being played?" he asked.

"I'll explain it tomorrow." She waved him off.

He frowned at her response, but then suggested, "Well you said it already glows when you use your magic, which is something that is deeply connected to you; so maybe it reacts to your emotions too."

"But it wasn't glowing when I was crying… at least Kida didn't say anything."

"Crying?" he asked, while loosening his hold on her wrist and grabbing her hand. "Hinata, what happened?"

Hinata averted her eyes, "I told you, I'll tell…"

"Tomorrow, don't worry I remember that too." He sighed. Inhaling deeply he went back to her tattoo. "Well, maybe the tattoo only reacts to strong emotions. I mean, sadness is strong but not like anger or love"

She sighed, "Maybe… I sort of wish I knew that before getting it done. I might have reconsidered if I knew that. This basically makes me an open book now."

"Why did you get it done?" He asked.

"When I first received my powers I was in this strange cavern that gave me unlimited power; but once I got back to the surface I could even create an orb of water. So Kida suggested I get a tattoo to help retain my energy and strengthen my magic." She glanced up at him, "I was really worried you would be upset with me for getting it."

He gave her a small smile, "It's your body. You can do whatever you want with it. It's going to take some getting used to and I appreciate that it's small. When it isn't glowing you can barely see it."

"Yeah, thankfully." She nodded leaning forward and resting her head against Riku's chest. "Thank you for understanding."

"Yeah," He nodded while running his hand up and down her back. Gently grabbing her shoulder he told her, "Come on, let's get to bed. DiZ will want to talk to us tomorrow."

She yawned and nodded while she walked with him to their room, "Yeah you're right, what time does he want us to be up tomorrow?"

"Actually since you came in so late he told me to let you sleep in as long as you want." He told her.

Hinata glanced up at him surprised, "Really? Wow, that's almost kind of him."

Riku chuckled, "Well I might have had a few things to do with that decision."

"What do you mean?"

"I just talked with him about it." He shrugged.

"He really values your opinion, doesn't he?" She asked.

"For some reason, yeah."

"Maybe someday he'll care about mine." She muttered under her breath. "It's like every time I have an idea or opinion he doesn't want to listen."

"Well you two have different views on a lot of things. And you're both pretty stubborn."

"I'm not stubborn." She objected, glancing up at him when he only chuckled in response.

Riku shoved the creaking door open leading into their room. Hinata smiled when she saw the four foot tree standing in the corner of their room wrapped with white Christmas lights. Three boxes of ornaments were stacked beside it, just waiting to be put on. Hinata leaned on her toes and kissed Riku on the cheek.

"Thank you." She told him, before leaving his side to go to the restroom and change.

He smirked as she closed the bathroom door and then turned off the overhead light so the only lighting came from the tree. The corner of the darkened room shined a soft glowing light as Riku walked over to the bed and pulled off his shirt. He got under the plush covers and waited for Hinata; but his exhaustion got the best of him and he was asleep before she ever came out of the bathroom.

Hinata opened the door, in some soft pants and a green long-sleeve shirt. The mansion was barely heated, leaving everything chilly during the winter months. Rubbing her chilled arms, she walked over to the bed to see Riku already fast asleep. She smiled to herself and climbed in beside him, feeling his warmth already seeping into her as she pulled the blankets on top of her. Leaning her head on his chest, she watched the twinkling Christmas lights on the tree, barely lighting the room; her mind swirled with stress and various thoughts about how DiZ and Riku were going to react to her story the next day. Taking a deep breath, she tried to get herself to relax, but suddenly a faint blue glow appeared in front of her; making her inwardly grown. Her tattoo was glowing again.

"Of course it reacts to high stress too…" She complained under her breath.

Her voice was a little too loud as Riku sleepily mumbled and subconsciously pulled Hinata closer before falling back to sleep. Hinata leaned into him and smiled, despite her stress. Wrapping her arm around him, she whispered, "I love you, Riku." And fell asleep moments after the words left her mouth.

"Hey Sleepyhead," Riku's voice cut through her dreams as he lightly shook her shoulder.

Hinata groggily mumbled and swatted his hand away before turning over in the bed and burying her face even more into the fluffy pillow.

Riku chuckled, "Come on Hinata."

"I thought you said I could sleep in…" She grumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"You did, it's past noon." He told her, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Reluctantly, she turned over and looked up at him with tired eyes, "Is it really?"

"Yeah, one-thirty-three to be exact." He glanced over at the clock on their bedside table.

"Why did you let me sleep so long?" She asked, giggling when he scoffed in response.

"Come on, I made you some lunch."

She immediately sat up beaming, "You did?"

He smirked, "Yeah and then DiZ wants to talk to us."

Her smile slightly faltered but she nodded. "Alright, I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes."

"Alright," He replied, standing from the bed and walking out of the room. "But be quick, you don't want the food to get cold."

Hinata snorted a short laugh, "Don't worry mom, I won't let your hard work go to waste." She couldn't see his eyes but she was sure he was rolling them in response as he left the room. Reluctantly, she pushed the fluffy blanket off her legs and got up from the bed. She grabbed a teal shirt and black pants from her wardrobe and went into the bathroom to get ready. She emerged minutes later with her red hair in a side bun over her shoulder and walked towards the kitchen, where a fresh plate of pancakes was waiting for her beside a cup of coffee.

She chuckled as she sat down in front of it. "I thought you said you made me lunch?"

Riku shrugged, "Well you slept through breakfast so I improvised."

"I'm surprised you know how to make coffee, I thought you hated this stuff." She pointed out, taking a sip of it. She looked down at the liquid. "And you're really good at it. Better than I am."

He smirked, "Well Namine actually made the coffee. She drinks that stuff like its water."

"Seriously?" She laughed. "With how white and pristine she keeps her room and herself I would think she would want to stay as far away from this stuff as possible. If it spills it stains pretty bad."

"Oh I remember all the coffee stains on your clothes back on the island." He chuckled, "Your school uniform shirt was never without at least one stain on it."

"Yeah, well who thought that white uniform shirts for high school students were a good idea in the first place?" She complained. "Why couldn't they make them blue or black or something?"

"You're just saying that so all those stains wouldn't be visible." He pointed out.

"Still though," She shrugged. "White is such a boring color… Don't tell Namine I said that."

"I won't," he chuckled as he walked towards a stool and sat beside Hinata while she ate.

When Hinata finished eating she brought her plate and cup to the sink and rinsed it off. As the warm water streamed out of the faucet, she told Riku, "Before we go see DiZ I need to get the Atlantis crystal from the ship. I left it there last night."

"Ok, I'm surprised you aren't wearing it." He replied, waiting by the doorway that led back to the hallway. "Especially after how much work it took to get it in the first place."

"It doesn't feel right on me." She admitted before whispering under her breath. "I don't deserve it…" Turning off the water she added, "I'll be thankful once DiZ takes it. I don't want to be anywhere near it."

He frowned in response to her words, not sure where her self-resentment was coming from. Walking forward, he grabbed Hinata's hands. "Hey, whatever happened back there, you're fine now. DiZ will understand whatever it is."

"I don't think he will." She interrupted, averting her eyes. "I'm actually really worried about how he's going to react."

Placing his hand under her chin, he tipped her face up towards his. "Whatever it is, I'll be there for you, alright?"

Hinata tried to smile but shook her head while moving his hand away. "Don't say that, you don't even know what happened yet. I'm just as worried about how you're going to react."

"Do you even remember what I did a year ago?" He asked her.

"This is different…" She started to object.

"Hinata, I betrayed everything in our relationship. I hurt you and all of our friends out of greed and jealousy." He reminded her. "And through all of that you are still right here in front of me, wanting to make us work." When Hinata looked up at him, he added, "No matter what happened at Atlantis, I'm not going to get upset with you. I want to be there for you."

She stared up at him for a moment before averting her gaze as her emotions rose. "Dammit…" She whispered under her breath as she roughly brushed away an escaped tear. "I really didn't want to cry today."

He gave her a small smile, "It's alright if you do. You need to stop trying to handle everything on your own and let me be there for you."

"Now you sound like me when I'm talking to you." She pointed out, sniffling.

"Yeah, well we're alike in a lot of ways." He admitted.

"I guess you're right." She replied softly, taking a deep breath and regaining control of her emotions. "But I need to stay strong right now. I can cry a pity party after I tell you and DiZ about everything,"

"Alright," He squeezed her hand, "Let's go get the crystal from the ship."

They walked in silence out of the mansion towards the ship in the back garden. Namine was outside with Jack floating beside her as she watered a bed of white daisies. She looked up when she noticed Riku and Hinata come out of the mansion and smiled.

"Hinata, it's good to see you again." She spoke up with a soft voice. "I'm glad you make it back safely."

"Thanks, it's good to finally be back." Hinata replied with a small smile. "I hope the garden hasn't been too tough to take care of on your own."

"Not at all," She shook her head, "Riku helped me out a lot with the weeds when he wasn't off on a mission."

Hinata glanced at Riku with a smile and assured her, "Well I'll make sure to help you out again now that I'm back. I've been thinking we should plant an apple tree."

"That sounds delicious!" She beamed in response.

"Right?" She replied with a small laugh before clearing her throat, "But we should get going, I have to grab the Atlantean crystal and then meet with DiZ."

Namine put down the metal watering can and placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder. "You'll do great."

Hinata gave her a confused look, "How did you… I mean, am I that obvious?"

"Ben told me what happened." She told her. "He can be a little hard to understand sometimes, but I got the general idea."

"Oh of course he did," Hinata sighed, "Well, thanks. I really appreciate it."

"Sure," She smiled, removing her hand and giving a small nod towards Riku. "I'll get back to work then."

She turned back to the daisies and continued to water. Jack floated up to Hinata and gave her a quick lick on her cheek before following after Namine as Riku led the rest of the way to the ship. He walked behind Hinata on the metal walkway leading up to the deck and saw Ben working away on something on the navigational board.

"I'll be right back." Hinata told him as let go of his hand and headed below deck.

Riku nodded and walked over to Ben.

Ben looked up when he noticed Riku approaching and greeted, "Hello Riku! Good to be back from Atlantis!"

Giving him a small smile, he asked, "Did you like it there?"

He shrugged, "I've seen so many worlds in my robotic lifetime, they all just sort of mix together now. Wasn't much different than anything I've seen back in my galaxy. Hinata told me the food was rather odd though; odder than the food back on Montressor."

"That's a pretty big feat." Riku chuckled softly. "No wonder she was so hungry last night."

"Are you about to talk with Master DiZ?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah. Hinata is going to tell us about everything that happened yesterday."

Ben's bright eyes slightly sullied with a blue color and he spoke with a rare calm voice. "Make sure he goes easy on her. I don't pick up well on your species' emotions but I even I could tell she was pretty shaken."

Riku slightly frowned and nodded, "I will. Thanks… Was it really that bad?"

"I'm not really the robot to ask." Ben shrugged, getting back to his cheery self. "You have to remember that I was the navigator to the most feared pirate in my galaxy!" He laughed, "There isn't much that can faze my rusty circuits."

"Good to know," Riku replied with a sigh. He turned to see Hinata coming back to the deck with the Atlantean crystal hanging from her neck. It glowed brilliantly as she approached him.

"Well, here it is." Hinata told him, picking up the crystal. "It seems to shine brighter when I wear it."

"Maybe it's reacting with your tattoo." Riku suggested, gently grabbing the crystal and examining it. Letting it go, he told her, "Alright, come on. We've left DiZ waiting long enough."

Biting the inside of her cheek, she nodded, "Yeah, alright let's go." She turned and walked off the ship, her hand tightly grasped around the crystal.

Riku glanced back at Ben, who was worriedly looking after Hinata and assured him, "She'll be fine." He turned and headed off the ship behind Hinata, following her back into the mansion.

They silently walked towards the lab, Hinata's heart racing with anxiety. As they reached the metal door that led into DiZ's room, Riku reached over and grabbed Hinata's hand, stopping her before entering.

"Hey… it's going to be alright." He assured her softly.

She closed her eyes and nodded, but didn't reply.

"Take a deep breath and relax." He told her.

"Is it glowing?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, it has been for a while." He admitted.

She let out an exasperated breath. "Great to know I wear my heart on my sleeve now…"

"Just try to relax. Don't think about it." He suggested. "You'll figure out how to control it. But for now, don't worry about it."

She nodded, "Alright, I'm ready."

He squeezed her hand before releasing it and placing his other hand on a blue button on the wall. With a mechanical whir the door slid open, allowing them to enter the dark room. DiZ sat in his large chair, working away at the lit computer screens. He paused when he heard the door open and smoothly spun his seat around to see them.

"Hinata," He greeted, "It is good to have you back."

She forced a smile, "Thanks, I'm glad to be back." She pulled her necklace over her head and held it out for DiZ, "Here is the crystal." DiZ held out his hand and she stepped forward to place it in his palm.

DiZ examined the glowing crystal, noticing how it ever so slightly dimmed when Hinata removed her touch. "Well done." He told her, looking back up at her as she retook her spot beside Riku. "It seems you did quite well."

Smiling uneasily, she reluctantly nodded. "Most of it went off without a hitch."

"From what I understood from you Navigator, more than one Organization Member appeared in Atlantis." He informed her.

"Yes," She slowly replied, "Demyx and Luxord actually."

"I am surprised the Organization would send Demyx on such an important mission."

"I was too." She admitted, "He ended up just being there to distract me."

"The information your Navigator relayed to us yesterday was nearly impossible to decipher," DiZ sighed, "Were you able to stop the Organization from taking a crystal?"

"Yes, I was." She nodded, "And none of the Atlanteans died in the attack either."

He nodded with a small smile, "Very good. And I believe you mentioned to me that both the Members escaped with their lives."

"Yeah, about that…" She began to say.

"You needn't worry," He shook his head, "The Members of the Organization disappear the moment situations are no longer in their favor. Getting them into a situation to end their existence is…"

"I got both of them into those situations." Hinata blurted, interrupting him. "I had more than enough chance to kill both of them… but I let them go."

Riku looked over at Hinata surprised while DiZ remained silent, waiting for her to explain. Taking a shaking breath, she retold the events of the day before, refusing to make eyes contact with either of them as she spoke. The longer she went, the more she could feel the tension rising in the air. When she had finally finished, she forced herself to look up at DiZ, his expression unreadable.

"Riku," DiZ spoke up once Hinata was done talking. "Would you wait outside please? I need to speak with Hinata alone."

"Is that really necessary?" He asked.

"She will not be harmed; I just need to share a word with her." He assured him

"It's alright, Riku." Hinata quietly spoke up, looking over at him. "I had a feeling this would happen."

Obviously not agreeing with them, he let out a slightly aggravated sigh, "Alright…"

Hinata watched him as he turned to leave, feeling her heart sink the further he went. When the door slid closed, DiZ spoke up, "Your idealistic views on the Organization are getting out of hand."

"It's not that…" She began to defend.

"Save your excuses," He interrupted, his voice slightly raised. "When you first arrived here you made a decision to aid in our cause of recovering Sora's memories and destroying the Organization; yet since you have been here you have let three Organization Members walk free." Hinata was about to object, but he stopped her. "On this mission in particular, not only did you place the lives of each of the Atlanteans in more danger by your actions; but you proved to the Organization you do not have the will to kill them. I had assumed the first occurrence had been due to the particular Member you were facing; but letting two more of them leave unscathed… that alone is enough to put your life in grave danger. You know very well that The Organization is doing everything in their power to take you and from past interactions they seem to want you alive. Their motive is still unclear, but knowing that you cannot make the tough decisions opens up an entire new road of possibilities for them to obtain you."

"I know…" She admitted.

"If you know that you should not have allowed them to leave." He told her. "There is no telling where your actions will leave the Atlanteans or how the Organization will react. However, the mission is said and done. Whatever becomes of Atlantis is out of our hands."

"Actually…" She started, uncomfortably rubbing her hands together in worry. "I... feel responsible for the Atlanteans."

"As you mentioned before when we spoke over transmission, but as I told you…"

"I gave them the device to contact me if the Organization comes back!" She blurted out all at once.

"You what?!" DiZ yelled, losing his calm composure and abruptly standing from his seat.

Hinata gasped and stepped backwards, taken aback by his outburst.

"After I gave you specific orders not to?" He asked her, his voice still rose but his composure was swiftly returning.

"I can't make them deal with the consequences of my actions!" She told him. "I know you told me not to, but I couldn't in my right mind just leave knowing that the Organization was going to come back."

"That is the price you have to pay," DiZ told her. "You were sent to Atlantis to gain their trust and as a result they placed you in charge of their entire military, quite a feat for such a short stay; however, that places you in a position where your choices will affect the entirety of their world."

"Well maybe I wasn't ready for that!" She confessed. "I'm no Keyblade Wielder like Sora; I don't have anything special about me! I'm not cut out to save worlds or even other people; I shouldn't have been sent on this mission alone!"

"You were sent on this mission as a test." He told her. "A test to see if you could handle such situations so I would be able to send you and Riku on separate missions in the future; however, I will admit I did not expect things to escalate as they did. And I did not expect you to so blatantly disregard my orders."

"In case you forgot, Riku and I aren't even adults yet." She reminded him. "I don't care why you sent me alone; but honestly, I shouldn't have had to make decisions that affected an entire world. I have no right."

"I did not place you in that situation," he pointed out, "I told you to gain their trust and it was your actions that led you to leading their military." He sat back down in his chair, his stoic posture once again evident and his voice calm. "You may not believe me, but you are a natural leader. Your skills were level with the highest ranked soldier in their city and despite your poor choices you were able to keep their people safe from the attacks."

Hinata gave him a confused look before reluctantly replying. "Thank you… I guess."

"You should not be questioning your use, but your stubbornness." He added. "I do not send you on missions without reason; I am doing everything in my power to revive Sora and end the Organization. When I give you an order I expect it to be followed; regardless if you agree with me or not."

"I tried that once," She told him, "It didn't turn out well."

"Just as I have assured Riku on multiple occasions, I am nothing like your previous employer. We all want the same thing achieved, Sora's awakening."

"I understand what you are saying, but I don't regret giving Kida my communications device. Your orders were to leave them to Organization; what if they come back and this time successfully get a crystal?"

"That is the stubbornness I am referring to." He sighed. "There were other ways to maintain observation on Atlantis. Because of your disregard of my orders I will have to completely rewire our devices to make sure they do not receive our transmissions." Taking a deep breath, he turned his chair back towards his computers and told her, "You have certainly given me much to think about. You may leave now and please send Riku in."

Hinata nodded and turned to leave. As the door slid open she saw Riku leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. When he saw her emerge from the room he immediately pushed off the wall and came towards her.

"Is everything alright?" He asked her.

"Sort of…" She replied, "DiZ wants to talk to you now."

"Alright," He nodded. Hinata began to walk past him, but he reached over and grabbed her arm, pulling her into a quick hug. As he pulled away, he asked her, "how are you doing?'

"I don't know yet…" She admitted before glancing up at him with a forced smile. "I'll be on the ship when you're done."

"Ok," he nodded, letting her go and allowing her to walk away. He watched her head back up the stairs to get to the main foyer before turning to enter the lab. The door slid closed behind him and he spoke up, "What do you need?"

"I fear that Hinata may not be as rooted in the cause as you are." DiZ told him.

Riku instantly tensed up and bit, "I'm not making her leave."

"I wouldn't think of asking you to. Her safety is my main concern." He assured him, before telling him, "She is just as stubborn as she was as a child. She is rooted in her own beliefs and won't change them for anyone, no matter how much trouble she gets herself into."

"I'm not following."

"She felt guilty for allowing Luxord and Demyx to leave Atlantis and as a result gave the Queen her communications device." He clarified before adding. "Even though I had just given her a direct order not to do so."

"She was just doing what she thought was right."

"There is no need to defend her, I fully understand her reasoning." He told Riku, turning his chair towards him. "What worries me is she unwittingly put an entire civilization in danger all from following her own beliefs."

"Killing isn't always the answer."

"Within humanity I agree with you, but the Organization is far from human. She cannot continue hesitating every time she comes across them; especially when we know they are hunting her."

"I'll talk to her about it." Riku offered.

"Even with your council I doubt she will change her mind." He sighed, "I had thought after her past interactions with The Organization her views on the subject would have shifted; but it seems I was wrong." Clearing his throat he told him. "Due to her actions I am considering grounding her to this mansion."

"Grounding? Like a kid?" He asked. "She made some tough calls, but she was only doing it because she thought she was right."

"She does not have the will to kill the Members of the Organization. Without that man Kamash there, Luxord and Demyx would have captured Hinata; yet if she had simply defeated either of them when she was given the chance the close encounter would not have ever occurred. If she continues to go on missions, especially if she is alone, there is nothing stopping The Organization from capturing her."

"Then she won't go alone." Riku offered, "Always send us together, I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

"That does not change the fact that she still would need to uphold her part of the mission without disobeying any of my orders." He pointed out. "Despite similar goals Hinata and I have rather differentiating methods. If she does not agree with me, she will disregard the parameters. It would be safer if she remained here in the mansion with Namine."

"She will hate that idea." Riku pointed out. "She was already trapped on the planet Montressor for months; she won't want to be stuck here."

"You may be surprised." DiZ told him, turning his seat back towards his computers. "Perhaps a safe haven would do her some good."

"At least wait on making a final decision until after Christmas." Riku told him.

"You needn't worry," DiZ guaranteed him, "I have not forgotten what you have planned. And despite Hinata's actions I will allow you to keep those plans."

"Thanks," Riku nodded before asking, "Was there anything else?"

"No," He simply answered, turning back to his computers. "Take care of Hinata, she is no doubt emotional."

Riku turned to leave but paused, "Why do you care about her so much? You don't show the same care for anyone else."

"With the Organization hunting her it is in our best interest to keep her safe." DiZ replied quickly without hesitation.

"Well yeah, but is that the only reason?" Riku asked.

"Do you really need more reason than that?" He asked in response.

Without answering, Riku shook his head and left the room, allowing the door to slide closed behind him. He walked back up the stairs leading back to the foyer and headed outside to the garden. The sky was shrouded with gray clouds, the usual burnt orange sky covered by the winter weather. His black coat kept him warm as he walked through the rows of flowers towards The Highwind. Namine and Ben were nowhere to be seen, no doubt indoors to stay hidden from the brisk wind. As Riku stepped onto the deck of the ship he could hear faint music coming from below deck. He smiled to himself when he recognized the classical music; something Hinata listened to whenever she needed to unwind.

He walked down the steps leading below deck, hearing the music gradually grow louder with every step. The notes were sharp and angry playing a fast paced yet beautiful symphony. He made his way down the hall towards the sparring room, having a good idea Hinata would be in there and was not disappointed. Her hair was pinned back out of her face and she wore her purple sports bra and black work out shorts while she punched a brown punching bag hanging from the ceiling. Her tattoo was dimly glowing as she was lost in her practice. Along the floor next to an outlet was Hinata's newly bought CD player playing the loud music that covered up any sound Riku had made entering the room. Reaching down, Riku tapped the pause button, immediately silencing the music and grabbing Hinata's attention.

She instantly looked over at the CD player and saw Riku standing beside it. Readjusting her brown fingerless gloves, she stepped back from the punching bag and waited for him to say something. When he didn't speak up right away, she told him, "Alright, let me hear it. I know you don't agree with what I did."

"Actually, I would have been surprised if you did something different." He told her, unzipping his long coat. He slinked the heavy fabric off his arms and folded it onto the ground before taking off his boots, leaving him in his black pants. Walking over to Hinata, he admitted, "You've never been the type of person to follow orders blindly. It's one of the things I love about you."

Hinata crossed her arms. "So… that's it? You aren't here to lecture me or anything? Did DiZ not tell you what I said to him?"

"Do you remember the first day we went to school together on the island?" He asked her. "We got out of class a little bit earlier than Kairi and were waiting outside for her to get out of class."

"Uh, yeah… I think I remember." She replied, not sure where he was going. "That was one of the first times I had seen the view from the top of the hill where our school was and I mentioned how beautiful it was."

"And I was my old whiny self, going on about how nothing exciting ever happened on the island and I was never going to be able to put my sparring skills to good use." He reminded her.

Hinata giggled, despite the way she was feeling. "Oh you weren't that bad."

He smirked, "The point is you responded with something that I'll never forget. You told me that I should be glad there wasn't a need for violence on the island. That while you admired the art of swordplay you would never willingly use it to bring harm to others. You were the complete opposite of any fighter I had ever met or imagined."

"Well I do hurt people… Luxord's nose didn't break on its own." She pointed out.

"But you would never willingly go out of your way to kill someone." He clarified. "And despite what DiZ and that guy, Kamash said, that's alright. Not killing someone when you get the chance doesn't make you weak, it's makes you stronger."

"You really think so?" She asked.

"Yeah, you are one of the most skilled fighters I've ever but you don't use those skills to hurt others. If you did become a Member of the Organization, I honestly fear for anyone that would stand in your way."

"Whatever," She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious," He reached forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't let everything DiZ and Kamash said to you get you down. You did what your heart told you to do."

She placed her hand over his and asked, "Would you have left them alive?"

He stared at her for a moment before answering, "No… but that's because I view them differently than you."

"Then why are you being so encouraging to me about it when you wouldn't have done the same thing as me?" She looked up at him.

"A few reasons," He admitted, "But mostly because you did what your heart felt was right. You weren't concerned with what DiZ or the Atlanteans would think; you were just thinking about the right thing to do. And that's something about yourself you shouldn't change."

Hinata thought about his words, her cheeks lightly blushing and her tattoo slowly fading its glow as her stress melted away. They stood in silence for the next few minutes, trying to figure out what to say. Eventually she opened her mouth and quietly told him. "Thank you…"

He smiled in response and removed his hand from her shoulder. Getting into a fighting stance, he asked her, "Now would you rather continue hitting that bag or try your luck against a real opponent?"

She let out a small chuckle and lifted up her own fists, "You're on."

Riku smirked and swung his fist towards her side but she easily pivoted aside and began her own attack. They exchanged blows none of them making their mark as they both focused on defense rather than trying to deliver pain.

The match was paced for practice and leaning back to avoid being hit in the face, Hinata asked, "So what did DiZ talk to you about?"

"You mostly," He replied, wincing when Hinata's foot was able to hit his side. Bending forward to avoid another kick he shoved into her and flipped her over his shoulder, making her land hard on her back on the sparring mat.

Hinata momentarily lost her breath from the impact and leaned herself up on her elbows. "So he told you about the communications device?"

He scoffed and held out his hand to help her up. "Yeah, he told me. You really can be stubborn sometimes."

"Did he seem mad?" She asked as she stood back up.

"No more than usual." He shrugged, backing up when Hinata already began attacking again. "He seems to always be in a bad mood."

"Well that's good at least." She replied, spinning out of the way of his kick. "You would be proud of me; I used that move you taught me against Demyx."

"Which one?" He asked, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"The one you used on me to make my legs stop moving." She reminded him, ending her sentence with an unappreciated look.

He chuckled, "Oh yeah, that one. I had a feeling that move would come in handy for you." Lowering his hands to his sides he told her, "You should know, by the way, that DiZ is thinking of grounding you to the mansion."

Hinata lowered her hands and stood back up straight with a confused look on her face. "Really? Wow…"

"Yeah…" He replied.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"I…" He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke slowly. "I'm on the fence about it. I agree with him that if you stayed here at the mansion you'd be safer from the Organization; but I know that you would hate being stuck here."

"Yeah I would…" She agreed, "But I did make a lot of mistakes in Atlantis and with the Organization hunting me… Maybe it would be better if I was taken off the missions."

"I'm surprised you agree." He admitted, crossing his arms. When Hinata didn't respond he added, "Well, you don't have to worry about it right now. I told him to wait on making a decision until after Christmas."

She allowed herself to smile and asked, "What do you have planned for that, anyways?"

He smirked, "You'll have to wait and see. I think you're going to love it. It will be a nice vacation from…"

"Vacation?" She asked, "We're going somewhere?"

He slightly frowned from letting some info slip but quickly went back to his smile. "Alright yes, but that's all you get to know."

She chuckled and walked over to the wall to grab her water bottle and clean up, "Alright fine, I'll be patient."

Riku walked over to her as she drank some water and lightly rubbed his hand along her back. "Are you feeling better now?"

Twisting the lid back on her bottle she glanced up at him behind her with a small smile. "Yes, I do. Thank you for being there for me."

"I always will be." He promised her, leaning down and placing a small kiss on her tattoo.

A small electric surge spiked through Hinata from his contact to her tattoo making it glow. She smiled and replied, "I know you will."


	21. Christmas Vacation

Chapter 21

The obnoxious beeping of the clock's alarm cut through Hinata's peaceful dreams. She grumbled as she reluctantly opened her eyes and spotted the small electric clock that was interrupting her slumber. With a growl she slammed her hand on the top of the device to silence it, accidentally cracking it in the process and making it give a disjointed mechanical beep before going dead.

She slowly sat up, looking at the now broken clock and whispered. "Oops…"

"I was wondering when you were going to turn that off," Riku got her attention as he walked into the room already dressed in a sleeveless navy shirt and black pants. He glanced down at the bedside table. "Did you break my clock?"

Hinata bit her lip as she examined the clock. The blue plastic casing was severely cracked with a couple wires poking out the top and the glass front where the time was once shown was black with a spider-webbed set of cracks originating from the top down. She cleared her throat, "I'll buy you a new one."

He lightly coughed into his elbow before smirking and shaking his head, "No it's fine. Honestly, I should have known better than to let it wake you up. I wasn't sure if I would be back in time so I set it to go off at six-thirty."

She frowned, "It's six-thirty?" She sighed and rubbed her eyes, "Is there a reason you wanted me up at an ungodly hour?"

"You know back on Montressor I heard you were waking up before the sun even rose."

"Yeah, but that was because I couldn't sleep in the first place." She reminded him. "Now that we are back together I can sleep normally again."

"Glad I inadvertently enable your laziness."

She scoffed and lay back down, "Oh please. I'm not lazy; I just have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Once I'm up I'm fine." She rolled to her side, "Now if you don't mind I have at least three more hours until I need to wake up."

Riku shook his head and pulled off the bed covers with a single tug, making Hinata curl up from the sudden rush of cold.

"Ah! Why?" She cried, gasping when Riku scooped her up from the bed, holding her up in his arms. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you up." He told her with a smirk as he walked out of the room. "Come on, we have a busy day."

She sighed, accepting her defeat and leaned her head against his shoulder, "Alright fine, you win." She stayed in his arms in silence for a minute, watching as he walked out of the hall into the foyer before asking. "Uh… do you want to tell me where you're taking me? All my regular clothes and things are back in the bedroom."

"No they're on the ship." He told her, using his back to push the glass door open to head out to the garden.

Hinata shivered as the cold winter winds brushed past them when Riku carried her outside. "The ship?" She asked, perfectly content to allow Riku to carry her and then she jumped. "Wait, does this mean our vacation starts today?"

He balanced her in his arms, despite her sudden wriggling and chuckled, "Yeah, the next four days we'll be on vacation." He walked up the metal walkway up to the deck of the ship and then allowed Hinata to stand on her own. "I got up early and packed everything we're going to need for the trip."

A beaming smile appeared on Hinata's face, "You really put a lot of work into this, haven't you?"

He shrugged, "Well I never did get to take you on that perfect date back at the islands, and after everything we've been through recently… we deserve a few days to get away."

She reached forward and grabbed his hand. She was about to say something to him in response but Ben suddenly burst onto the deck from the rooms below. "Hinata! Aren't you so excited to go…?"

"Ben, I told you it's a surprise." Riku abruptly interrupted him, not allowing the robot to get another word in.

"You mean Ben knows but I don't?" Hinata asked with a small laugh.

"Well someone has to get us there." Riku pointed out.

"And I wouldn't miss this trip for the world!" Ben exclaimed, before noticing the frown Riku gave him. Clearing his throat, he pretended to zip his mouth closed and silently walked back towards the navigation.

Covering his mouth with his arm, Riku coughed, getting Hinata's attention.

"Are you alright?" She asked him when his coughs began sounding almost painful.

He cleared his throat and nodded, "Yeah I'm fine. Something just got stuck in my throat."

"I'm starting the engines." Ben told them quickly in a serious tone. "E.T.A, ten hours."

"Alright, thanks Ben." Riku told him, clearing his throat again. Pulling on Hinata's hand, he told her, "Come on, we have a while before we get there. You can go back to sleep if you want."

She squeezed his hand and walked with him below deck, "Nah, I'm up now. I'm not tired anymore." She glanced over at him, "But if you need or want to sleep I'm sure I could fall back asleep too."

"Actually yeah…" He admitted, "I suddenly feel really tired. I had been so excited getting everything set up earlier; so now that we can finally relax…"

"Your exhaustion is finally catching up with you." She surmised.

He sleepily nodded in response, making Hinata giggle. "What?" he asked.

She nudged him gently with her shoulder and informed him, "Oh nothing, you're just adorable."

"Huh… well that's a first." He quietly chuckled, opening the door to their room on the ship.

Two packed suitcases were sitting on top of the bed that Riku had placed there earlier that morning. Hinata let go of Riku's hand and placed the heavy cases on the ground; turning around to see Riku already getting into the bed.

She crossed her arms as she watched him. Something seemed off about him, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked him.

"Just tired." He told her, placing his hand on his forehead and letting out a long breath as he lay down.

She smiled and climbed into the bed beside him, lying on her side facing him. He turned to face her and ran his hand along her waist, tracing her figure. Scooching closer, he met her lips with his, kissing her gently.

She giggled as they kissed and quietly pointed out between kisses, "I thought you said you wanted to sleep."

"We have ten hours for that." He replied with a smirk. Sliding his hand to the small of her back he pulled her closer.

Eventually breaking their lock to catch her breath, she asked, "Your face is really warm, are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"I told you, I'm fine." He sighed, trying to kiss her again.

She pulled back and sat up, "Because if you aren't we really shouldn't be kissing and maybe we shouldn't go on the trip right now."

He sat up with her and grabbed her hand. "No matter what, we're going on this trip." He looked down at their clasped hands and he told her, "Look, I promise I'll be back to normal once I get some sleep. I'm just exhausted."

Giving him an unsure smile, she leaned forward and gave him a short kiss, "Alright. I'll trust you." She lay back down, "Now let's get some sleep."

He lay down beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist, snuggling beside her. "Alright," He kissed her cheek on top of her tattoo. "I love you."

Hinata's cheeks blushed as her tattoo began to glow. "I love you too." She quietly replied.

Riku fell asleep within minutes and Hinata examined his flushed face while he slumbered. Lifting one of her hands, she gently pushed away his long hair obstructing his face and placed the back of her palm against his forehead; immediately greeted with burning warmth from his skin. She sighed and retracted her hand. "You have a fever," She whispered with a small frown. Leaning forward, she kissed his heated cheek before carefully wriggling out of his grasp without wakening him.

Standing from the bed she silently made her way out of the room and headed towards the kitchen. She walked down the set of stairs leading to the third floor, passing by the magic drive where Riku's Corridor of Darkness still stood inside the glass chamber. She stopped for a moment to watch the dark portal pulsating with power before turning to head into the kitchen. It was a much simpler set up than what was in the mansion, but it had the cooking necessities. Reaching the fridge, she pulled open the door, feeling the cold rush of air on her face as she looked inside. Every shelf was filled with fresh food; mostly vegetables and fruit. Pushing things aside, she searched for something premade, but everything inside was mere ingredients.

She sighed and stared at the food in front of her. "There has to be something I can make him."

Standing back up straight, she closed the door and began rummaging through the cupboards, hoping to find a canned soup or something simple; yet they were only filled with spices and dry ingredients. Closing the final cupboard she lightly bit the inside of her cheek trying to think.

"He didn't even pack a can of soup…" She complained under her breath.

Getting an idea, she turned and left the kitchen. She reemerged on the deck of the ship as streaks of stars passed by them. Ben stood at the navigation with Jack floating beside him, looking at the map. They turned as they heard Hinata come up.

"Oh hey Hinata!" Ben exclaimed, "Where is Riku?"

"He's sleeping," She told him, patting Jack's head as he floated towards her. "And I think he might have a fever."

Ben's eyes widened, "Oh no! A fever? It's no surprise though."

"It isn't?" She asked.

"Well with how busy he always is with going on every mission and taking care of everyone; he's bound to get sick from overworking himself eventually!" Ben explained with a laugh. "I'm surprised he was able to keep it up without getting sick as long as he has! He's not some robot like me!"

Hinata frowned, "I haven't thought about that…"

"We should have some medicine in the bathroom." He informed her. "I believe that fella James put them in there when his sister built the ship."

"Seems like something he would make sure to add; always thinking of the details." She smirked, before sighing, "Well thanks; I'll make sure to get some for Riku. But I actually came up here to ask if you had any idea how to cook… something like soup?"

Ben scratched his head and tried to recall his memories. "Hmm… I've never done it myself; but there were a lot of times Captain Flint had me stay down with the ship's cook and I helped a lot around the Benbo Inn. Why do you ask?"

Grabbing her forearm with her other hand, she admitted, "Well I wanted to make something for Riku to eat that might help him feel better… but the only food Riku packed for the trip was vegetables and stuff, nothing remotely simple that I can just throw in the microwave. So I thought maybe we could work together to make him something at least decently edible."

"Say no more!" Ben chimed, stepping forward and saluting valiantly, "Operation Cook Riku a Meal is now in session!"

"We don't have to name it," Hinata sighed. "But thanks, will the ship be alright while you're below deck?"

"Yes ma'am!" He nodded. "It's on auto pilot right now and scans don't show anything to cause concern from here to our destination."

"Speaking of which, what is our destination?" She asked him, trying to play coy.

"Nu-uh," Ben shook his head, walking forward to head below deck. "Ask all you like, I promised Riku to keep it a surprise!"

Hinata smiled to herself as Ben passed her and chuckled, "Alright fine, I'll let you keep your promise."

She followed Ben and Jack below deck down to the lower levels with the kitchen. Ben excitedly rummaged through the fridge and cupboards, pulling out vegetables and different spices.

"Captain Flint's cook made soup all the time!" he told Hinata, grabbing a large oversized pot and placing it on top of the stove. "So just leave this to me!"

She laughed under her breath and walked forward to look at the ingredients he grabbed. "Alright," She nodded, "Just tell me what to do I guess."

Handing her a large wooden cutting board and a knife, he told her, "Dice up the veggies, if you please!"

"Will do," She told him, bringing her supplies to a nearby counter while Ben began placing different spices and oils in the pot, seemingly lost in a zone.

Jack floated over Hinata's shoulder as she rinsed off some carrots and celery and brought them back to her station. She silently chopped them up, listening to Ben humming away. He swayed his head to the rhythm of his little song, turning the dial of the stove to its max. Inside the large pot he had already filled it with every spice he could find and different types of oil.

"This is going to be my greatest creation!" He told her, looking down at his concoction.

Hinata glanced back from her cutting station and saw the row of emptied oil bottles, making her slightly frown. "I'm not sure you should be putting all those oils in there…

"Well then what else am I supposed to use for the liquid?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"I don't know," She shrugged, "Oil just doesn't sound right… it sounds gross."

"Gross?" He asked her placing his hands on his hips. "Excuse me; we robots live off of oil! It is delicious! I'm sure Riku will find it just as delectable."

"Well… alright." She turned back around to continue cutting.

Jack shook his head and flew towards the cupboard, disappearing inside. He emerged moments later with a box of chicken broth in his mouth. He dropped it beside Ben and began barking at him softly.

"Chicken broth?" Ben asked while looking at the box Jack gave him. "But we aren't even putting chicken in the soup!" He shook his head and then got an idea, "Water! I'll add some water to the oil to lighten it up!"

"Water?" Hinata repeated, turning as Ben grabbed a large measuring cup and filled it with water. "I've got the feeling that's a bad idea."

"What's the worst that can happen?" Ben asked turning back around with the cup. Before Hinata could object, Ben poured the entire cup of water into the already boiling pot of oil. He waited a second before saying, "See? It's fine!"

A loud sizzling sound interrupted him as boiling oil began erratically exploding from the pot. Hinata let out a surprised scream and instinctively activated her water magic bringing up a water barrier around her, catching any splatters of oil that came her way.

"Ben! What did you do!?" She yelled over the popping sounds of the hot oil as it reacted to the water.

"I don't know!" He yelled back, "Maybe this is supposed to happen! OW!" He yelped as the boiling oil hit his metal skin.

As suddenly as it began, the sizzling finally subsided and was replaced with a strong scent of food burning. Hinata made her water barrier disappear to see the entire kitchen covered with splatters of oil and Ben standing beside the bright orange heated pot sheepishly grinning.

"So hot oil and water do not go together," Ben shrugged, "Who knew?"

Glaring, Hinata stepped forward and turned the stove's dial to off before reluctantly peeking inside the pot. The only thing inside was charred black remains of whatever Ben had originally placed inside sticking to the sides of the pot and emanating a burnt scent that filled the kitchen.

"Ben…" She finally spoke up.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Get out of the kitchen…"

"Oh…" He solemnly spoke. "I guess I'll head back up to the deck…" He turned to leave and added, "I understand… I do… I'm sorry for not helping…" He let out a long pitiful sigh and began walking away.

Hinata crossed her arms and watched him leave, trying to keep herself from feeling guilty. She turned away and rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Well, now what do I do?" She asked herself.

"Hinata! Hinata!" Ben yelled, running excitedly back into the kitchen.

Groaning, she turned back towards him and replied, "Ben I just told…"

"Look what Jack found!" He interrupted her, holding out a small black journal.

Jack floated up beside him with his tail wagging as Hinata grabbed the journal and opened it. A small smile appeared on her face as she immediately recognized Riku's handwriting on the pages listing out recipes.

"Is this a cookbook Riku put together?" She asked, feeling her smile grow as she flipped through the pages, seeing recipe after recipe. "This is so adorable." She giggled quietly before looking back up at Jack. "Where did you find this?"

Jack barked a series of small barks and Ben translated. "He says he found it in Riku's luggage."

Hinata slightly frowned, "Jack, you really shouldn't rummage through his things."

"But isn't it great?" Ben asked, changing the subject. "Now we can find something to make for him! That is… if you'll let me back in the kitchen."

Flipping through a couple more pages she surprisingly found a seemingly simple recipe for a vegetable soup. With a relieved sigh, she nodded, "You're right. This will be very helpful." She looked back up at Ben and Jack, "Want to help me do this right this time?"

Ben jumped with excitement, "Do I?" He stood tall and saluted, "Ben reporting for duty ma'am! Just tell me what to do!"

Giving a small nod, Hinata began reading off the instructions Riku had written out, unable to stop the smile that grew on her face over the fact that he had actually put together a personal cookbook. She put Ben and Jack to work as the three of them created a small pot of vegetable soup. They three of them stood in front of the boiling pot, watching it cook.

"How do you know when it's done?" Hinata asked as she glanced back at the recipe. "It only says cook until ready…"

"You can taste it." Ben suggested.

"Well… alright." She agreed, grabbing a spoon and scooping a bit of the boiling soup out. Taking a careful bite, her eyes widened. "You know, this isn't half-bad!"

"Oh goody!" Ben exclaimed, jumping up and down. "Mission Cook Riku a Meal was a success after all!"

Hinata laughed as she turned and grabbed a bowl from the cupboard. "I suppose it was." She carefully scooped the soup out and placed the steaming bowl on top of a wooden tray. "Ok, I'm going to bring this up to him."

"Alrighty! Jack and I will clean up the mess!" Ben saluted.

Jack shook his head and barked at Ben as he floated through the ceiling.

"What?" Ben asked him, "What do you mean I'm on my own?"

Hinata chuckled as she placed a glass of water on the tray beside the soup. "Well good luck, when I'm done with Riku I'll come to help out." She assured him.

Carefully lifting the tray, she turned and carried it up the stairs; walking slowly to make sure she didn't spill. Making it back to the second floor she stepped forward and placed the tray on a small table in the main room.

"Can't forget the medicine." She quietly reminded herself as she walked into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet.

She stared at the stuffed contents hidden behind the mirror that made up the front of the cabinet. Bottles of all sorts of different medications and first aid supplies were lined on the thin shelves. Looking over each label, she tried to find something that fit Riku's symptoms.

"Why didn't James tell me he put all this here?" She asked herself while she searched.

Finally finding a fever reducer pill, she pulled out the bottle and headed back to the main room. She picked up the tray again and went towards her room. Using her back she gently pushed open the door to see Riku still fast asleep. The blankets were wrinkled and strewn on the floor as if he had kicked them off and his skin was slick with a thin layer of sweat.

Hinata quietly placed the tray on the bedside table and looked over him with a frown. "You're worse than I thought…" She commented softly.

Sitting on the edge of the bed beside him, she tried to figure out how to wake him up. Reluctantly, she moved one of her hands and pushed back his hair out of his reddened face; her touch instantly stirring him. She smiled as he let out a long breath and reached up his hand to hold hers.

"I was wondering where you were…" Riku quietly spoke. "I woke up earlier and you were gone."

"After you fell asleep I realized you had a fever." Hinata informed him.

"I'm fine, Hinata." He tried to tell her, before abruptly sitting up and erupting into a coughing fit. He buried his face in his hands when he was done and sighed, "Alright, maybe I'm not feeling one-hundred percent."

She ran her hand along his back and told him. "I wasn't sure what to do for you; but I was able to make you some soup and bring some medicine."

He lifted his face from his hands and looked over at her. "You cooked me something?"

Her cheeks lightly blushed as she nodded. "I don't think it will be nearly as good as your cooking; but I wanted to do something for you." She turned and carefully grabbed the tray, bringing it over to Riku. "If you're not hungry, you don't have to eat it right now."

"No, this is great." He assured her as he looked at the spread before him. "Uh… thank you. This is the first time someone's ever tried taking care of me while I'm sick." He looked up at her with a small tired smile and grabbed her hand.

"Of course," She smiled back and lightly squeezed his hand before letting go of it and climbing beside him on the bed. Leaning back against the bed's headboard while Riku took some of the medicine, she told him. "I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" He asked, looking over at her.

"Well… you've been doing so much lately. You've taken care of everyone back at the mansion with all the cooking and cleaning, without ever even complaining. And then you've been working so hard at following Roxas and keeping up with all the missions DiZ sends you on… you don't ever get a day to just sit back and relax. It's no wonder you got a fever." She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them, before admitting. "And rather than help and do anything I can to lessen the load for you; I've just been sitting back letting you do everything."

"You've been busy too." He pointed out. "You were just gone almost three weeks on a mission."

"Yeah, but I was in Twilight Town for a whole month before that and I didn't do anything to help you out around the mansion or with Roxas."

"I never asked you to."

"I know, but…" She sighed and looked over at him. "I want to help though. You've been putting yourself though so much lately and I was thinking that if I do end up being grounded to the mansion; I would like to take care of the cooking and cleaning so you wouldn't have to worry about it." She paused before adding, "I mean, I know I'm not as good at cooking as you, so DiZ and Namine might not be too thankful about the change; but I can learn and get better at it."

"You say you aren't good at cooking, but this soup isn't too bad." He told her, taking another bite of the steaming soup.

"Well anything good about that is due to Jack finding your cookbook." She confessed, quickly explaining when Riku looked over at her. "Ben and I were trying to figure it out on our own; but I guess Jack came in here and found your cook book in your luggage." She blushed and apologized, "I know I probably shouldn't have used it without permission and Jack shouldn't have gone through your things…"

"No, it's fine, really." He interrupted her. "I'm just…" He chuckled, "I'm a little embarrassed you saw it."

She smiled and giggled, "I actually thought it was adorable. I can just imagine you cooking and writing down the process as you go."

He laughed in response before falling into another coughing fit. Hinata was quickly at his side, rubbing his back with her hand.

Once he was able to catch a breath, he told her. "I'm sorry I got sick on our vacation."

"Its fine," She assured him, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It will give you the chance to get some well needed rest. Plus having a few uninterrupted days with you for once sounds wonderful, no matter how we're feeling."

"Well it won't really be uninterrupted." He admitted, resting his cheek against her head.

"The suspense of where you're taking me is killing me," She sighed, making Riku give a small laugh in response. She reluctantly pulled away from him and told him. "Well you better get some more sleep, I hope the medicine helps."

"Are you not going to stay in here?" He asked.

"I can if you want me to, but I don't want to keep you from sleeping." She told him. "We need to be careful that I don't get sick too; so I'm not sure if we should be sleeping in the same bed together until you're better." The look he gave her in response made her snort out a sudden laugh. "Don't look at me like that!"

"Like what?" He asked.

"Like a sad puppy." She giggled. "I can't even see your eyes but I can just imagine they were pitiful."

"Gee, thanks." He sighed but a small smile was on his face. "No, I understand though… I don't want to get you sick either; so you can sleep in the other bedroom… and I won't kiss you until I'm better too."

She giggled in response and remained quiet so he could continue eating his soup. His cheeks were still flushed and she could just tell from looking at him that he ached; but he hadn't complained about it at all. He never complained about how he was feeling. Ever since Hinata had gotten back from Atlantis Riku had only been interested in hearing about how she was doing and making sure that she was taken care of.

"You need to take better care of yourself." Hinata softly spoke up. "You've been so focused on making sure everyone else is set you haven't taken a moment to make sure you're alright too." She reached over and grabbed his hand. "Even you have your limits, Riku."

He looked down at their clasped hands and reluctantly nodded, "I know… It's just… I made a lot of mistakes this past year and I need to make sure I fix it all before it's too late." He looked back up at her and explained. "That's one of the reasons I want to take you on this trip… to make up for the way I treated you."

"You don't have anything to make up for." She assured him. "I told you before that I already forgive you for everything that happened. You're a different person now and maybe it's about time you forgive yourself."

"Maybe…" He admitted, "But not until I've finished what I started. Once Sora's back and we're all home on the island… then maybe I'll start to forgive myself." Removing his hand from Hinata's he added, "But until then, I need to focus on other things."

Hinata frowned at his response. "Alright, Riku. I'm just worried about you. You don't need to go through this alone."

"Yeah, well it isn't your burden to share either." He countered as a hint of stress laced into his tone of voice. "You didn't make me fall into the darkness; I did. So it's my own problem to deal with."

"I don't agree with that," She told him. "I…"

"You don't have to agree, that's just the way it is." He abruptly cut her off, looking over at her.

Hinata quickly closed her mouth and looked away; taken aback by his sudden harsh tone. They sat in tense silence for a few seconds before she slowly got up from the bed. "I'll let you get some sleep." She quietly spoke up as she walked out of the room.

"Wait, Hinata," He called after her, but she closed the door behind her as she left.

She leaned back on the door after she closed it and crossed her arms. Frustration and anger bubbled inside of her but she forced it to simmer down. "He isn't himself right now," She reminded herself with a whisper, before burying her face in her hands. "Ugh… why are we so much alike? Didn't we just have this discussion about me a week ago?"

Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself off the door and headed back down the second flight of stairs. She stepped down into the third floor of the ship and saw Ben scrubbing around the kitchen, getting up the splatters of oil and placing dirtied dishes in the sink. She was about to step forward to help him, but then instead turned to look at the drive core. She walked up to the glass wall and watched Riku's dark portal swirl and pulsate with power.

"Hinata?" Riku's voice echoed down the stairs as he rushed down them in search of her. He stepped into the third floor and first saw the disaster in the kitchen; making him momentarily stop in his tracks. Shaking his head, he turned and spotted Hinata staring at the drive core. "There you are," He let out a relieved breath and came up behind her, "Hinata, I…"

"When we reunited in Montressor I wasn't getting back together with you to see how much you would make it up to me." She interrupted him without looking away from the portal. "I wanted to be with you again because I love you." Crossing her arms, she explained. "You keep saying that you want to be there for me and help me through my problems; but it's a two way street. I'm letting you into my heart and eventually you have to do the same thing for me." She finally turned towards him, her tattoo brightly glowing from her stress and told him. "I understand that you feel responsible for your actions from falling into the darkness and that you don't want to drag anyone into the consequences with you; but you don't have to worry about that with me. I am willingly offering to share this burden with you and you can't say I don't understand it because I was there with you when the majority of it happened."

Riku stared at her as she spoke, uncertain of how to respond. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ben interrupted them.

"I uh… feel like I shouldn't be here for this." Ben spoke up, nervously laughing, "I'm just going to head on back up to the deck. Holler if you need me!"

The two of them watched as Ben scrambled back up the stairs and once he was gone, Riku turned back towards Hinata and told her. "It isn't your burden to have."

"Riku, you can't keep these problems to yourself." She reminded him. "I know you like to figure things out on your own and keep everyone at a distance; but you can't be like that with me, not anymore. This type of thing is what tore us apart before."

"That's not what's happening." He told her. "I've let you in more than any other person I have ever known and I've already blown it once; I'm not letting it happen again. Me dealing with this by myself isn't me shutting you out it's me trying to make sure I stay as far away from hurting you again as I can. I appreciate your support and forgiveness, but as far as sharing this burden I can't bring myself to ask you to do that."

"You don't have to ask, I'm right here, wanting to help." She stepped towards him.

"Hinata please, let me handle this on my own." He pleaded, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"How can I when you're working yourself so hard because of it you actually made yourself sick?" She asked him. "I'm not asking for a lot, Riku. Just something to somewhat lessen the load."

"You already are." He pointed out, "Just by helping me when I do get sick. No one has ever done that before. And how you want to help out around the mansion… that will help too." She was about to object but he explained. "I don't want you to have to deal with what I'm feeling; that's something I need to handle on my own. But you can help with my responsibilities. Help me not overwork myself if you really want to do something."

Hinata opened her mouth to argue with him once more but quickly shut it again. She clasped her hands in front of her and let out a breath. "Alright… If that's really what you want Riku."

"It is," he assured her as he ran his thumb along her shoulder. "Thank you."

"Of course." She reluctantly looked back up at him and apologized. "I'm sorry I got upset. And I'm sorry for rushing out of the room earlier. I feel bad that you came looking for me." She laughed under her breath, "I'm not taking very good care of you, am I? I'm already failing at it."

He smiled in return and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry about it." He told her, wrapping his arms around her. "You're doing a great job."

Hinata hugged him back, feeling his feverish warmth spread through her from his embrace. "You better get back to bed." She eventually told him.

"Actually I'm feeling a little bit better," He admitted, pulling away from the hug. "I think the medicine is kicking in."

"Well that doesn't mean you're all better." She pointed out.

"Alright, alright," He sighed, putting his hands up in fake surrender. "I'll head back to bed. What are you going to do?"

"Probably finish cleaning up the kitchen." She replied, looking over at the still destroyed area with a frown on her face. "After that though, I'm not sure. I'll wake you up when we get close to our vacation spot, wherever it is."

"Alright," He smiled and leaned forward, kissing her cheek on top of her tattoo.

She blushed as he kissed her cheek and told him quietly. "I love you."

He let out a short breathy laugh as he pulled away and replied. "I love you too."

Before he was too far away, she lightly grabbed the top of his shirt and met her lips with his for a short but loving kiss.

When she let him go, he reminded her with a hushed voice, "But I thought you said…"

"I know, I don't want to get sick, but I couldn't help it." She interrupted before confessing with blushed cheeks. "It's too hard to pass up the opportunity to kiss you."

He chuckled as he stood back up straight. "You are so going to get sick. I know it." He laughed at the look she gave him but then broke into a small coughing fit. Waving off her worried look, he began walking towards the stairs and assured her, "I'm fine. I'll be in bed upstairs."

"Alright," She gave him a small smile as she watched him walk back up the stairs. Once he was out of sight she turned towards the oil drenched kitchen and stretched her arms. "Let's get this over with." She grumbled under her breath.

The rest of the ride to the vacation destination went by swiftly. Hinata cleaned the entire kitchen and put back all the newly cleaned dishes. She spent a couple hours up on the deck conversing with Ben about his time on Captain Flint's ship and listened to his stories of the adventures. Afterwards, she went and wrote in her journal while also taking peeks into Riku's cookbook and giggling to herself about what he wrote. Before she knew it, Ben was yelling down the stairs, telling her that they were nearing the planet. She almost ran up to the deck to see the planet, but stopped short knowing she should probably get Riku up first. Turning back from the stairs she headed back into their room and opened the door. Riku lay fast asleep under the covers shivering even though his face was still flushed with heat.

She walked up beside the bed and shook her head, "Definitely a fever alright." Sitting down on the edge of the mattress she gently nudged his shoulder. "Hey Sleepyhead, Ben says we're almost to the planet."

Letting out a long breath, Riku moved his hand and placed it over Hinata's. "Have you seen where we're going yet?" He asked her, his voice raspy.

"Not yet, I wanted you to be there with me when I found out." She replied. "But if you take too long to get up I might run up to the deck without you."

Riku chuckled, "Alright, I'll take the hint." He pushed himself to sit up and stretched his arms while letting out a yawn.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him.

"I've been better." He admitted while grabbing the bottle of medicine and taking a couple more pills. Once they were swallowed he stood up from the bed and grabbed Hinata's hand. "Come on; let's get up to the deck."

Hinata grinned and excitedly rushed out of the room bringing Riku along with her. She climbed up the stairs and let go of Riku's hand as she ran towards the ship's railing. Streaks of stars were still whizzing by the ship as they were still in hyper space; but after seconds of them getting up there, Ben deactivated the drive and they appeared in front of a large crescent moon. The entirety was covered with buildings and ships flying to and from the planet as if it were some sort of space port.

Hinata's eyes immediately widened and she exclaimed, "Montressor Space Port?!" She put her hands over her mouth and asked, "I get to see Sam and James for Christmas?!"

She turned towards Riku to see the smile on his face. "Surprised?" He asked.

She removed her hands from her mouth to reveal the grin on her face. She tried to speak but her words came out in jumbles.

"Isn't it great Hinata?" Ben exclaimed. "I was so excited when Riku told me we were coming here for Christmas! I can't wait to see Jimmy again!"

"I-I don't know what to say." Hinata spoke, finally was able to piece her words together. She stared at Montressor Space Port as Ben flew them in and all at once her questions came out. "How did you get DiZ to agree to this? And what about our work with Roxas? How long have you been planning this? Do Sam and James know I'm coming? How…"

Riku laughed and placed his hands on Hinata's shoulders to get her attention. "Don't worry about the details. DiZ knows how much work I've been putting into waking up Sora and is actually the one who suggested I take a couple days off; so I just turned it into our Christmas trip. While you were in Atlantis I took one of the days and came to Montressor to arrange things with Sam."

"You did?" She asked, still dazed about everything happening. "How is she doing? Was she…"

"You can ask her yourself in a few minutes. She will be waiting for us at the Space Port." He interrupted, trying to keep himself from laughing again. "I forgot how you get with surprises."

Hinata nodded and looked out again at the approaching Space Port. Without warning she stepped forward and tightly hugged Riku. "Thank you so much! This is the best gift I could have asked for."

He hugged her back but didn't reply until he felt her crying against his chest. "Are you alright?" He asked her, gently pushing her back so he could see her suddenly tear stained face.

She quickly nodded as she pushed away her tears, "Y-yes, sorry. I'm just so happy and surprised… I don't really know how to react." She laughed. "I guess I don't handle these situations very well." She looked down at her clothes, realizing she was still in her pajamas. "Oh, I should probably change." She noted, sniffling. "Ben, how long until we land?"

"About ten minutes!" He told her.

"Alright," She nodded, wiping away the rest of her tears. Looking up at Riku with a smile she told him. "I'll be right back."

Riku crossed his arms and watched her as she went downstairs to change.

"I'd say the surprise was a success!" Ben exclaimed.

Chuckling in return, Riku nodded, "Yeah I agree."

Within a few minutes, Hinata reemerged on deck. Her long hair was tied in a quick side bun and she had thrown on tight black pants underneath her aqua-green long sleeve shirt with peekaboo holes along her shoulders. She rushed back to Riku's side by the ship's railing and watched excitedly as Ben lowered the ship towards a large open space on the port of the planet. People of all different species bustled through the area, many of them carrying large boxes onto other ships parked along the landing strip. Leaning over the edge, Hinata saw her old friends. Right in front of where the ship was about to park she spotted Sam waving her hands frantically with James and Jim standing beside her.

Hinata reached back and grabbed Riku's hand, giving it a squeeze. "I can't believe you did all this." She told him, waving at her friends.

He squeezed her hand back but remained silent with a smile on his face.

The moment the ship landed and the metal walkway lowered to the ground, Hinata ran off towards her friends; pulling all three of them into a group hug. They laughed together and hugged her back.

"I can't believe you're actually here!" Sam chimed; her turquoise eyes bright with excitement. "It took long enough for you to get here. I thought that drive of yours was supposed to make your ship move quicker!"

"It did!" Hinata defended. "It was only a ten hour flight. With your ship it would have taken weeks!"

"Hey now, watch yourself." Sam warned her, but broke into a laugh.

"It's about time you came back." James spoke up, placing his arm around her shoulder. "Do you have any idea how boring it was around the shop after you left?"

"How is the shop doing?" Hinata asked them, smiling over at Jim.

"It's doing great." Jim answered, standing tall; no doubt a trait he learned from the Academy. "When I came back from the Academy a week ago I couldn't believe how much they changed the place. Sam got it completely remodeled."

"Really?" Hinata asked.

"Well it wouldn't have happened without all that gold you paid for your ship with." Sam told her.

"About that," Hinata told them nonchalantly. "I got a ton of gold from Atlantis I don't know what to do with, do you want it?"

Their eyes widened from her sudden offer.

"What?!" Sam exclaimed. "You seriously have no use for gold?"

"Can you just give it away like that?" James asked, removing his arm around her shoulder and standing in front of her with his arms crossed.

"I'm keeping like maybe a handful of coins." Hinata shrugged. "But it's honestly just taking up my other bedroom on the ship. You guys could use it for the shop or something."

Sam stuttered out random noises as she tried to articulate words. "You can't just drop that on me right after we see each other again! What were you planning on doing with it before Riku told you that you were coming here?"

"I didn't really have a plan." She shrugged.

"Where is Riku, anyways?" James asked. "Did he come with you?" The last question had a hint of hopefulness to it.

Hinata glanced behind her, "Yeah he's back on the ship. He has a fever though. Before I knew we were coming here I told him we should just cancel the trip. I'm glad he convinced me otherwise."

"Me too!" Sam agreed, trying to move on from the possibility of gold. "That would have sucked to hear that you weren't coming here after all."

"Jimmy!" Ben exclaimed, running towards the group from the ship with Jack bounding beside him. "Oh it's so good to see you again!"

Jim smiled and hugged the rusty robot while laughing. "It's good to see you too Ben."

"And… I'm happy to see you." Sam spoke up, when Ben didn't even acknowledge her or James.

Ben glanced over and waved politely, before getting back to talking with Jim.

Hinata laughed and asked. "So why did we have to park at the Space Port and not your shop?"

"I don't have the space for it." Sam explained. "Business really boomed after you left. Hearing I built a custom ship from scratch really put our shop back on the map."

"Yeah, I've had to hire a few other people to work for us." James added.

"Really?" Hinata asked. "So you guys are full-fledged running a company now."

"Yeah it's hard work, but nothing we can't handle." James confidently replied, chuckling when Hinata gave him a look.

"How is everyone else doing?" Hinata asked.

"You can ask everyone tonight." Sam told her. "We have a big dinner planned at the Benbo Inn, so you'll see everyone else then."

"Great!" Hinata beamed before laughing, "Man, I still can't believe I'm back here."

"I know!" Sam agreed, "I can barely believe it either." She looked her friend over. "You look a lot different." She pointed out. "Your hair's gotten longer and… is that a tattoo?"

Hinata blushed from embarrassment and placed her hand over her cheek. "Uh… yeah. It's something I got in Atlantis."

"You don't really seem like the tattoo type." James noted.

"It isn't just for looks." She began to explain. Before she could say another word, she heard the familiar sound of a Heartless appearing. She immediately froze and looked around. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" James asked looking around. "There are people everywhere, there's a lot of sound."

"No, it sounded like a Heartless." Hinata clarified.

"Oh no, not again." Sam groaned, reaching over and grabbing Jim's shoulder to get his attention. "Jim, I think those creatures are back."

As Jim turned away from Ben and grabbed a plasma pistol from his hip holster, Hinata asked. "Wait, you've seen them before?"

Reaching into a metal sheath along her hip, Sam pulled out a metal rod and explained. "Yeah, this past month Montressor has been getting random attacks from small black creatures." Holding out her arm, she pressed a small button on the metal rod. With a mechanical whir the ends of it extended creating a long staff. "I made this so I could fight them off when they appear in my shop; but thankfully that hasn't happened yet."

"I didn't realize they made it this far already." Hinata sighed, eyeing Sam's new weapon but also looking around for the Heartless. She glanced over at James and asked. "Do you have something to fight with?"

"You kidding me?" He asked. "Do I look like the type of guy who knows how to handle a weapon?"

Hinata rolled her eyes, "Then go wait on the ship with Ben and Riku so you'll be safe."

"Don't have to tell me twice." He chuckled, about to walk away before he added, "Make sure to be careful. I don't want something happening to you; especially right after you get here."

She smirked in response, "There's the James I remember. Don't worry we'll be fine."

James nodded and began walking towards the ship.

"Where are your weapons?" Jim asked Hinata.

"Back on the ship, but I'll be fine." She assured her.

"How?" Sam asked.

Hinata was about to answer but heard James yell out surprised. She spun around and saw a group of Shadow Heartless surrounding him.

"James!" Sam called out in worry as she ran towards the group of enemies with her staff while Jim fired his plasma pistol at a few of the Shadows.

Sam lifted her staff, about to bring it down on one of the enemies; but was interrupted when a jet of water pierced through the skin of the Heartless, making it evaporate in a wisp of black smoke. She staggered back a step in surprise, watching as the swiftly moving water destroyed each of the Heartless in the group in second.

"What in the world?" She asked, turning around to see Hinata with her hands moving to the same movements of the water and her tattoo glowing. "Hinata, is that water you?!"

Hinata momentarily darted her eyes away from her jet of water to smirk and nod at Sam, before getting back to fighting.

Once the last Heartless surrounding James had disappeared, they left clear magic orbs behind. Hinata made her water fall to the ground and was about to let out a breath of relief, but suddenly one by one, more Heartless began appearing. The aliens around the space port began to panic and ran towards safety; leaving only Hinata, Sam, and Jim to handle them.

Seeing the new enemies appear, Hinata ordered, "James, get to the ship! And Ben, grab the orbs and make some potions with Milo's potion maker below deck!"

"Yes ma'am!" Ben saluted, already running around retrieving the magic orbs.

Hinata nodded and turned towards Sam and Jim, instructing them. "Sam, since you have to be close combat with your staff, try swinging towards large groups. These are Shadow Heartless, so they don't take much to destroy. And Jim, try aiming your shots for the head. Even when they slink into the ground you can still shoot them." She sighed and looked around at the growing army. "Let's just hope these are the only types that show up."

They numbly nodded, not sure where she had gotten her sudden authority from; but listened regardless. As is on cue, the three of them immediately went to action. Jim fired shot after shot, taking out a Shadow each time while Sam swung her staff like a club over large groups, creating a huge cloud of black smoke in their wake. Hinata spotted a group of them twitching along the edge of the space port, where with just a little push they would fall into space. Smirking, she closed her eyes and summoned up a tall wall of water right in front of them; pushing it against them and forcing them to fall into the abyss.

"Hinata!" Riku's voice made her drop the wall of water and look up to see him running towards her from the ship. Once he was beside her he summoned Soul Eater. "James told me what was going on, let me help."

Sending out an orb of water towards another group of Heartless, she felt her energy greatly decrease; but shook it off and objected. "What? Riku no, you're sick."

"Object all you want, I'm helping." He told her adamantly, slicing through a Shadow with his blade. "Also, Ben wanted me to give you these." He reached into his pant pocket and held out a handful of glass vials filled with newly made potions.

Despite him disregarding her order, she smirked and grabbed the vials gratefully, drinking one of them immediately. "Thanks." She told him quickly, before they ran off in separate directions to take on more Heartless.

With all four of them fighting together, the Shadow Heartless finally began to thin out. Within the next thirty minutes the last one had been destroyed. Sam plopped on the ground from exhaustion and tossed her metal staff beside her.

"I've never seen that many before…" She spoke up, her breath heavy.

"Me neither." Jim agreed, putting away his pistol and leaning his hands against his knees.

Hinata drank another potion, her chest was heaving as she caught her breath, but she continued to walk around to make sure there were no more Heartless lurking about.

"That wasn't too bad." Riku commented to her as she came up beside him. He tried taking a breath but broke into a cough.

Placing her hand along his back, Hinata began to tell him, "Riku…"

"I'm fine, really." He interrupted her. "You needed the help out here. Besides, I couldn't just stay in bed while you had all the fun."

Hinata scoffed and replied sarcastically, "Yeah that was loads of fun."

Riku chuckled in response but began coughing again, waving off Hinata's worried expression.

"Hinata, since when do you have water powers?" Sam asked; running up to Hinata with Jim following beside her. "And where did you get all that authoritative commanding stuff from? Like damn, you handled that battle like some sort of military officer. You weren't like that when you lived here."

"Yeah, you reminded me of some of my commanding officers at the Academy." Jim agreed.

Riku smirked and crossed his arms as Hinata replied. "Well you see, while I was in Atlantis I found out I have water magic." Reaching her hand up to touch her tattoo, she added, "And this tattoo helps me channel my magic. That's why I got it." Placing her hands on her hips she explained. "As far as the military officer, I basically co-led the entire military back in Atlantis for almost three weeks straight and I guess I sort of fell back into the mode when I saw the Heartless appear."

"That is so cool!" Sam exclaimed. "You co-led an entire military?! I've got to hear the story about that."

"No wonder they gave you all that gold." Jim pointed out.

"Gold?" Riku asked, "Did you tell them about it?"

"Oh, yeah." Hinata rubbed the back of her neck and informed him. "I was thinking of giving them the gold we got from Atlantis. DiZ didn't want it and I don't have a use for it."

"Oh," Riku replied before shrugging. "Well it's your gold. You can do whatever you want with it."

"Seriously?" Sam asked, "Do you guys like have no care for materialistic things or something? How could you just willingly give away a fortune, twice?"

"I have simple tastes?" Hinata tried to come up with an answer before pointing out. "And the first time I paid you for a ship. Plus it's Christmas."

"Yeah well I can guarantee that my Christmas present for you isn't anywhere near as valuable." Sam sighed. "And I was really proud of what I got you too."

Hinata chuckled, "Oh please, the cost of the present doesn't matter. What matters is that you thought of me and are nice enough to get me something at all. That's supposed to be the spirit of Christmas isn't it? Giving rather than receiving?"

Sam gave her a strange look, "I feel like I'm watching some cheesy sappy movie. What's next, are you going to explain the lesson we learned today?"

Riku chuckled, "She gets like that sometimes."

Hinata flushed, "What? N-no I was just saying."

"It's cute." Riku and Sam assured her at the same time; looking at each other in surprise.

"Ugh!" Hinata buried her face in her hands. "Now I have two people telling me I'm cute? Why can't I be awesome or badass? I want to be those things."

"Then maybe try not sounding like a sappy Christmas card?" Jim suggested, sheepishly smiling when Hinata glared up at him.

"What are you guys talking about?" James asked as he walked up to the group from the ship once he saw it was safe to come out.

"Nothing!" Hinata quickly spoke up.

"Hinata's upset that we think she's cute." Sam explained

"Well she is." He agreed with a laugh as he turned towards Hinata. "You're adorable sometimes." The moment the words left his mouth, he instantly felt uncomfortable as both Riku and Hinata glared at him in response. "What, it's alright when Sam says it, but I agree and suddenly I'm the bad guy?" He objected.

"Well I don't seem to remember Sam trying to steal my girlfriend for four months straight." Riku replied, crossing his arms.

"You had to bring that up again…" James awkwardly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Jim cleared his throat to lessen the tension. "We should head back to the shop."

"Yes!" Sam jumped in, "There's a shuttle that will take us to Montressor. What do you guys say we all head back there?"

"Great idea," James agreed as he turned and led the way without making eye contact with Riku or Hinata.

Hinata grabbed Riku's arm and held him back from the group. "Please don't cause any trouble with James." She pleaded with him in a whisper.

Riku smiled reassuringly and placed his hand over Hinata's, "I promise. I was just messing with him."

"Oh…" She looked after James ahead of them and laughed. "You're going to mess with him a lot this weekend, aren't you?"

"I'm planning on it." He confessed with a laugh.


	22. Guests

Chapter 22

The sun was just beginning to set over Montressor. Warm hues of red and orange mixed with the thick clouds in the sky. Hinata looked up at them as she walked along with her friends towards the Benbo Inn. Riku silently walked beside her as Sam excitedly talked about everything she had planned for the Christmas weekend.

"Christmas is the day after tomorrow, so most of the stores in the market will be closed," She reminded Hinata, "So I was thinking that tomorrow you and Riku could hang out at the shop."

"That sounds good," Hinata agreed, looking away from the sky. "I would like to see how you changed it."

"I don't think you'll even recognize it." James told her, looking over at her. "It finally looks professional."

"How many people did you hire?" She asked him.

"Four," He replied, "Three mechanics and one receptionist."

"They're at the shop right now." Sam added. "Finishing up a big project we got a week ago; a complete remodel of an old ship."

"Will the shop be closed tomorrow?" Hinata asked.

"No, we'll be open. Well, unless my workers blow me away and actually finish the ship tonight… which is doubtful." Sam sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "They're kind of hopeless."

"They aren't that bad," James defended. "Just because they can't build a ship in a day doesn't make them bad workers."

"Yeah, well we hired them to make my life easier and so far they only stress me out!" Sam argued.

Jim put his arm around Sam's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it tonight."

Taking a deep breath, Sam placed her hand over Jim's and nodded, "Yeah, you're right." She cleared her throat and looked over at Hinata. "So how's life in Twilight Town?"

Hinata slightly motioned her head towards Jim's hand on Sam's shoulder with a smirk on her face; making Sam's cheeks flush as she rolled her eyes in response. Letting out a small laugh, Hinata finally replied. "Oh, it's been pretty good. We live in this big mansion in the middle of a forest."

"A mansion?" Sam asked. "Are you guys just swimming in money or something?"

"It's not as grand as it sounds," Riku quietly spoke up.

"Yeah, it's pretty old and sort of falling apart; but its home." Hinata shrugged. They walked in silence for a moment, before she asked, "So, how long have the Heartless been on Montressor?"

"A month maybe?" James tried to remember.

"They appeared at the Academy a couple weeks after you left." Jim told her. "Captain Amelia has been working with some of the other administrators to find ways to get rid of them once and for all; but they've continued to spread from one world to the next all over the galaxy. A few of the planets near the galaxy border have been completely overrun."

Hinata glanced worriedly over at Riku beside her.

"Is there anything you guys can do about it?" James asked.

"Not us, but we know someone who can." Riku replied. "He has a key that can lock a world and keep Heartless from entering."

"I think I remember Hinata telling me about that." Sam spoke up.

"Yeah," Hinata nodded, "Riku and I are working on bringing him back. He's been gone for a while."

"So that's why you had to leave." James said, glancing over at Hinata.

"Well, one of the reasons at least." She nodded with a small smile.

"We're here!" Ben interrupted with a loud excited voice.

Everyone looked forward to see the Ben standing with his metal arms outstretched in front of the Benbo Inn. The light from inside shined through the windows and Hinata could see Doppler and Amelia standing with their children beside Sarah. A smile appeared on Hinata's face as they turned and noticed the group approaching from outside. Sarah rushed to the entrance and opened the front door.

"Welcome back Hinata!" She greeted.

Hinata rushed forward and gave Sarah a short hug, "Thank you! It's great to be back." She pulled away from the hug, but kept her hands on Sarah's shoulders. "How has the Inn been going?"

"Still busy as ever," She smiled. "Hasn't been the same since you left though. A lot of the patrons miss you."

"I miss it sometimes too." Hinata admitted, removing her hands and walking past Sarah to enter the dining room.

Streamers and simple decorations were hung along the walls with a long banner reading, 'Welcome Back Hinata!' hanging in front of the door to the kitchen. Riku walked in behind Hinata and placed his hand on her shoulder. She placed her hand over his and glanced up at him with a smile.

"I think I should go." He told her, glancing up at Doppler and Amelia. "I don't want to get the kids sick on accident."

Hinata slightly frowned, "I understand, but where will you go?"

"Well, you are staying here at the Inn," Sam joined in the conversation. "So he could just head upstairs."

"Yeah, and I already had your luggage delivered to your room!" Ben added.

"Oh, really?" Hinata asked before chuckling, "This will be the first time I've actually stayed here as a guest." She lightly squeezed Riku's hand, "But alright, you can head upstairs if you need to."

"Yeah, I probably should." He admitted, removing his hand from her shoulder. He gave a small nod towards Doppler and Amelia in greeting before turning and heading upstairs.

Hinata watched him as he left but turned around when she felt a small hand on her arm. She looked over to see one of Doppler's kids reaching over with their tiny paw. Their small pointy ears were perked up with curiosity as they looked over Hinata with their bright green eyes.

"Alexandria," Hinata greeted, grabbing the small child from Doppler and holding the giggling child in her arms. "Do you remember me?"

Alexandria snuggled into Hinata's arms, completely content to allow her to hold her.

Hinata smiled warmly at her, before looking back up towards Doppler. "Hi Doc! How have you been?"

"Hinata! It is grand to see you here again." He greeted with his now free hands clasped in front of him. "I trust the journey here went smoothly?"

She nodded, "It did. It dragged on a little bit since I had no idea where I was going until I got here; but it was fine."

Doppler chuckled, "Ah, yes, the element of surprise and suspense can really make time seem slower."

"Is Riku feeling ill?" Amelia asked, joining in on the conversation while somehow balancing her three other children in her arms.

"Yes, we found out this morning he had a fever." Hinata told her. "He went upstairs to get some rest so he wouldn't risk getting anyone sick."

"Well that is rather thoughtful," Amelia smiled, lightly kissing the forehead of one of her kittens. "But I do hope he feels better before the end of your time here. It would be a shame if he missed the festivities."

"I'm sure he'll be alright." Hinata assured them. "How has everything been going for you guys? I mean, other than the Heartless attacks I've been hearing about."

"Other than those horrible creatures, things have been rather… unexpected I suppose you could say." Amelia told her.

"Unexpected?" Hinata repeated.

"Yes, about a month ago the plumbing pipes through our home burst." Doppler began to explain. "The home flooded within minutes and we had to have Sarah watch the children while we investigated the cause."

"Did you find out what happened?" Hinata asked.

"Oddly enough we discovered creatures from Treasure Planet had somehow gotten into the pipes." Doppler explained.

"Creatures from Treasure Planet?" Hinata asked, "You mean those creatures you saved and took to the wildlife preserve?"

"The exact same species," Doppler nodded, "Yet I only brought two of those creatures back with me and they are still at the preserve. The ones that appeared in our pipes somehow grew inside of them."

"How is that possible?" Hinata asked. "I mean the only thing we brought back from Treasure Planet was those two creatures, gold, and…" Her face slightly paled as her voice trailed off.

"What is it?" Amelia asked.

"Those berries…" Hinata finished, looking up at them, "I had a few berries from the planet that I had kept with me while I was on Montressor. And when Riku got here he wanted to get rid of them so he put them down the drain…"

"Berries?" Doppler repeated, "Wait, I believe I remember seeing them on your bedside table. They never seemed to rot or change in appearance despite the months they remained un-eaten…. What if they weren't berries at all but…"

"Eggs?" Hinata finished his sentence, feeling a little sick to her stomach.

"But why did they not hatch while on your bedside table?" Amelia asked.

"I found them by a river." Hinata remembered, her stomach twisting the longer she spoke, "And in the river there where these tadpole looking creatures but no frogs… and those creatures you saved herded by the river… I think I'm going to be sick…"

Not hearing her last sentence, Doppler spoke over her, "I have a hypothesis. The berries, or eggs as we've discovered, were found by a river. I propose that they only hatch when emerged in water. When first hatched from the egg they have a more or less globular body, akin to a tadpole. As they grow they undergo metamorphosis, during which process they grow limbs; eventually turning them into the creatures we have at the wildlife preserve."

"If what you propose is correct, those 'berries' Riku washed down the drain hatched once emerged with water and as they grew they burst the pipes." Amelia pieced together.

Doppler nodded, "Precisely."

They both looked over at Hinata as she uncomfortably chuckled, "I'll pay you back. I had no idea that would happen… or that I was eating eggs rather than berries…"

Amelia and Doppler both began to laugh. "Well it is nice to finally solve the mystery of those creatures," Doppler told her. "It gave us quite the scare."

"The children certainly did not mind the water flooding the home." Amelia added. "Although the study is a little worse for wear because of it."

"I'm serious; I'll repay you for everything that got destroyed." Hinata assured them, glancing down at Alexandria still snuggled in her arms. "I got a lot of gold from my last mission that I can pay you back with."

"Well we can discuss all of that later," Amelia told her, still chuckling. "For now, enjoy yourself."

"Dinner is ready!" Sarah called out, catching their attention as she came out of the kitchen with Ben holding platters of food.

"Oh delightful!" Doppler happily exclaimed. He reached forward and grabbed Alexandria from Hinata. "Better get the children ready to eat."

Hinata strained a smile as the family walked away, still feeling her stomach knot with guilt. A warm hand on her bare shoulder got her attention. She looked back and saw James standing beside her.

"You know, you say you wouldn't make a good mom but you seemed to do a pretty good job with Alex." He told her with a smirk.

She let out a short half-laugh, "Yeah, well that's because all she wanted to do was cuddle. If she started to smell I would've began to panic."

James laughed, "Oh I'm sure you would have been fine." He looked down at her and noticed her worried expression. "Hey, are you doing alright?"

"Ah, yeah, sorry." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I just… feel sort of guilty."

"Why?" He asked.

"It's nothing," She assured him, forcing a smile. She removed his hand from her shoulder. "Where are you sitting?"

He gave her an unsure look, but went along with her subject change. "I was thinking of sitting as far away as I could from Riku, but it looks like he went upstairs to sleep; so wherever you are."

Hinata laughed, "Oh please, you know Riku was just giving you a hard time earlier, right? Even if he was still down here you could sit with me."

"Whatever you say," He sighed, walking towards a booth where Sam and Jim were already sitting. "I'm pretty sure he feels threatened by me."

"Yeah you just keep telling yourself that." She sighed, walking beside him. "But I'm pretty sure you're the one that feels threatened by him."

"So not true," He commented under his breath as he slid along the cushioned seat of the booth. He rolled his eyes when he noticed Sam giggling at something Jim said.

Hinata sat beside him and nudged him with her shoulder with a look. "Be nice," She whispered to him.

"I am nothing but nice," He defended, hitting her leg beside him with his knee.

She rolled her eyes in response and looked around the inn. "Nothing's changed has it?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Well actually a lot has changed," Sam looked away from Jim and joined their conversation. "You just haven't seen it yet."

"I more mean me with you guys." Hinata clarified. "It feels like I never left."

"I know what you mean," Jim nodded. "I was gone at the Academy until last week and it felt like home the moment I got back." He glanced over at Sam and smiled, "It's been great seeing everyone."

Sam looked back at him with a blushed smile. They stared at each other for a few seconds making James almost gag.

Hinata looked over at him with a slight glare that said, 'Will you stop? Let her be happy!'

James noticed her look and shrugged, "I can't help it."

"Can't help what?" Sam asked, looking away from Jim.

"That I'm so good looking," James smirked. He laughed when Hinata and Sam scoffed in response.

"And finally, here is your food." Ben interrupted their conversation as he approached their table. "Many apologies for the wait! It took longer than expected to deliver the food to the Dopplers."

Hinata glanced back at the other table to see a couple of the children's bowls toppled on the ground and food scattered everywhere. She nudged James's shoulder to show him and whispered, "See? I would not be able to handle that."

"Yeah, but you'd probably would just order pizza for every meal anyways; so you wouldn't have this problem." He replied.

"Hey, I'll have you know I actually made a soup from scratch for Riku this morning." She told him proudly as she turned back around to her plate of food.

"No wonder he feels so sick." He mumbled, shielding himself with his hands when he saw her glare. "I'm sorry, please don't hit me."

Hinata rolled her eyes, "Oh please. I'll just cook something for you to prove I'm not that bad."

"Never mind, I think I'll take the punch instead."

"Shut up," She laughed, making him laugh in return.

"I'm so glad you're back." He told her, finally turning to begin eating his food.

Hinata smiled at her friends, "Me too."

The four of them continued to talk as they ate; filling each other in on everything that happened while they were apart. Jim told a few stories about his time at the Academy and Hinata told her own stories about her time with the military in Atlantis. Before they knew it, it was far into the night and everyone was getting ready to head back to their homes.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow." James told Hinata as they got up from the booth. "Try not to let Riku get you sick."

"I'll try my best," She replied, giving him a short hug.

"Do you want me to walk you back to your shop?" Jim asked Sam.

"Actually, I was thinking of staying here with Hinata tonight, if she wouldn't mind." She replied, glancing over at Hinata.

"Yeah! That sounds like a lot of fun." Hinata agreed. "I'm not that tired and Riku still needs his rest."

"Well I guess I'll walk back on my own then," James sighed.

"You really shouldn't, actually." Hinata pointed out. "What if some Heartless attack on your way home?"

He shrugged, "They haven't attacked here at night yet."

"But there's always a first time." Hinata pointed out, looking over at Sam. "Maybe you should go back to the shop tonight, just to make sure James is safe."

"I'm not some damsel in distress; I can take care of myself." He objected to Hinata's words.

"Says the guy who literally ran away from a fight earlier today." Hinata reminded him.

"We have an extra room upstairs." Sarah offered, overhearing their argument. "Sam and James are welcomed to stay in it."

"That would be great Sarah, thank you." Sam turned towards her with a smile.

"Alright, I guess that's fine." James shrugged. "Are you sure Riku wouldn't mind me staying here?"

"Its fine, James." Hinata assured him. "It's not like he has a death warrant out for you or something."

"Just making sure," He put his hands up in surrender. "But I'm beat, if we're staying here, I'm heading to bed."

"Of course! I'll show you to your room." Sarah nodded, already walking up the stairs to show James the way.

As James followed Sarah upstairs, Hinata told Sam and Jim. "I'm going to run up to my room to check on Riku, and then we can hang out."

"Sure thing," Sam nodded, already turning away to talk to Jim.

Hinata walked up the wooden stairs glancing at the old paintings hung along the walls. They showed endless hills of flowers and sun rises; a complete opposite of what Montressor actually looked like. As she reached the next floor, she moved down the hall that was lined with oak doors with golden numbers engraved along the top of each one. Stopping in front of the door she knew was hers; she slowly turned the doorknob and went inside. The interior was like an old wooden cabin. A small living room with a couch and chair was right in the entrance; leading to a bathroom and the bedroom on the far end of the room. Hinata walked past the living room and was about to open the bedroom door before she heard the door to the bathroom open.

She turned around to see Riku walking into the living room. His hair was tied back in a loose ponytail to help keep it out of his face and he only wore loose dark-green flannel pants.

Hinata's cheeks blushed as she looked at him. Clearing her throat and quickly shaking her head to readjust her thoughts, she spoke up. "Hey Sweetie, how are you feeling?" She tightly closed her eyes as the words left her mouth.

"Sweetie?" Riku repeated with a hint of amusement in his sickly voice. "That's definitely a first."

"Sorry… I got flustered and it just came out." She scrambled, opening her eyes again to see Riku standing in front of her. She could feel his body heat emanating off of him, even though he stood a couple feet away. "But, uh, how are you feeling? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm doing alright." He admitted, "I could use a glass of water though, uh…" His voice trailed off as he tried to think of a nickname.

"You know, don't even bother." Hinata assured him, "I'm just fine with us using our real names rather than nicknames. That really was just a slip up." She turned, "But water, yeah I'll go get you that."

He reached and grabbed her arm before she could run out of the room embarrassed. "What were you flustered about?" He asked her.

"You," She admitted, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as she refused to look up at him.

"Me?" He asked, coughing a little as he spoke.

"Well yeah, I wasn't expecting to find you awake; let alone shirtless with your hair tied back… it caught me off guard."

"Oh," he loosened his grip on her arm. "Well as long as it wasn't James." He chuckled when Hinata scoffed. "I'm just teasing."

"I know," She replied, looking back at him. "He's downright scared of you, you know."

"Good," He replied proudly, letting go of Hinata's arm as she giggled. "I should head back to bed. I took some medicine, but I can feel it starting to wear off."

"Alright… but before you go…" She walked up to him and brought her hands up to his shoulders. Leaning on her tiptoes she gave him a kiss.

Riku immediately pushed her back. "Hinata, you keep saying you don't want to get sick but then you keep kissing me."

"Well if would be a lot easier if you would just stop making it so hard not to kiss you." She told him, ignoring his warning and kissing him again.

Riku laughed but gave in and moved his hands down to her waist, pulling her closer as he kissed her back.

"Hinata, I was wonder-…" Sam talked as she swung the door to the room open. "Gah!" She exclaimed when she saw them kissing. "Is this all you guys do? Make out?"

Hinata immediately pulled away from Riku with her cheeks flushed. "H-hey Sam…" She cleared her throat. "Did you need something?"

"I should go…" Riku spoke up for himself as he quickly made his way back to the bedroom without looking at either of the girls.

"I'll make sure to get you some water," Hinata told him, before he closed the bedroom door. She let out a breath and turned back to Sam, who was giving her a look. "What?" Hinata asked.

"Are you trying to get what he has?" Sam continued, crossing her arms. "You better not get me sick this weekend."

"I won't I promise," She assured her, "It's just… It's hard enough not to kiss him and then…"

"I really don't want or need to know your love life details with him." Sam interrupted. "But so help me if I find you two kissing again this weekend I will keep you guys in separate places at all times!"

"Oh please," Hinata rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"Oh, you think I'm kidding." Sam shook her head.

"Alright whatever, what did you need me for?" She asked, wanting to move past it.

"I was wondering if you wanted any ice cream." Sam told her.

"About a million times yes," Hinata smiled. "Unless it's that weird lemon-worm one James tricked me into eating."

Sam laughed, "Oh don't worry. I made sure it's something you'll actually like this time."

"Alright, deal. I just need to get some water for Riku." Hinata told her, following her out of the room.

They went down the stairs back into the dining room where Jim was already scooping out chocolate ice cream into dishes while James sleepily sat in one of the booths since Sam dragged him out of bed. Hinata got the water for Riku before joining the others for a small ice cream party. They ate and talked for a couple more hours; but once James leaned his head against the table and fell asleep they realized it was time to call it a night.

"I should probably head to bed," Jim yawned.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sam sighed, getting up from the booth. "I'm going to change into my pjs."

Both she and Jim left the dining room to head upstairs. As they disappeared, Hinata gently shook James's shoulder to wake him.

"Hey, you can head up to your room now if you want." She told him.

He reached up and gently grabbed her hand from his shoulder. "Your skin is really soft…" He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his thumb along her palm.

"You aren't fully awake, are you?" She asked with a sigh, pulling back her hand.

He turned his head to look up at her as he still lay on the table top. His tired teal eyes looked her over. "You're really pretty, you know that?"

"And that's my cue to head to bed." She abruptly stood up, "I'll see you tomorrow James. Try to get some rest, alright?"

"Alright beautiful," He sleepily muttered, falling back asleep.

Hinata's cheeks blushed as she walked back up the stairs. She approached Sam's room and opened the door while saying, "Hey, Sam? You might want to get James…" She stopped short when she saw Jim standing in the living room with his hands cupped around Sam's cheeks while he kissed her.

Sam abruptly pushed Jim back, while her cheeks burned with embarrassment, "Hinata!?" She squeaked, "Haven't you heard of knocking?"

A mischievous smirk appeared on Hinata's face, "Well, well, I was wondering when you guys would kiss. How long…"

"Hinata, out!" Sam exclaimed, adamantly pointing towards the hall.

"Alright, alright," Hinata put her hands up in surrender as she turned to leave. While she closed the door behind her, she added, "I'm really happy for you guys."

"Hinata…" Both Sam and Jim groaned.

Hinata giggled as she completely shut the door and then turned to head back to her own room. She entered the mostly quiet living room; hearing a faint snore coming from Riku in the bedroom. Going into the bedroom she saw Riku snuggled up with the comforter, completely lost in dreams. She smiled at him before rummaging through her luggage and finding the pajamas Riku packed. A quiet groan escaped her as she saw that he had packed the thinnest and smallest pajamas she had; despite it being in the middle of winter. Shaking her head, she grabbed them regardless and headed towards the bathroom to change.

She emerged minutes later wearing the thin purple halter top and gray shorts to find Sam sitting on her couch in the living room. "Oh… hey Sam." She greeted, awkwardly walking to the front of the couch so Sam could see her. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not really." She spoke up. "I just figured you would want an explanation about Jim."

Hinata shrugged as she sat beside her friend. "Not really actually. I mean, I've known you guys have liked each other for a while; it would make sense you would kiss eventually."

"You mean you've known?" Sam asked, looking up at her.

"Seriously, you didn't know you guys were that obvious?" She asked with a laugh. "Even James could tell."

"Oh… I thought we were pretty good at keeping it secret."

"Yeah, it doesn't help that Jim basically wears his heart on his sleeve and that you blush whenever he so much as looks at you." Hinata pointed out.

Sam chuckled nervously, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm just a little new with this type of thing."

"So when did all of this start?" She asked her. "I mean, like when did you guys admit you liked each other?"

"Well Jim told me he had feelings for me the morning he left for the Academy." Sam told her, fidgeting her hands in front of her. "But we kissed for the first time a couple nights ago when I told him I liked him too."

"Well I think it's cute." Hinata nudged her shoulder. "Jim's a good guy; even if he and James basically have the same name."

Sam laughed, slowly starting to loosen up again. "Yeah, that's gotten confusing a few times. Especially since Sarah always calls Jim by his full name."

"I'm sure it will get easier." Hinata assured her. "I take it you guys haven't told anyone else about the relationship yet?"

"No, we were going to wait until Christmas when everyone is all together." She let out a breath, "I don't know how James will take it though. I know he doesn't like Jim."

"I honestly don't understand why he doesn't." Hinata told her, crossing her arms. "I mean, I know he's protective of you, but I feel like Jim's proven himself to be a better person now."

"James is just confusing sometimes." Sam sighed. "I know he cares about me and everything; but I feel like he likes to pretend he's my dad sometimes rather than a brother."

"I'm sure it would get better if he got his own girlfriend." Hinata mused. "Then he would have someone else to worry about."

Sam scoffed, "Yeah, good luck getting him to agree with that. He used to be all over girls; but ever since you left he hasn't so much as gone out to a bar."

"A bar? He drinks?" Hinata asked, looking over at her surprised. "There aren't any age laws here about that?"

"Not for humans and definitely not on Montressor," Sam told her, leaning back in her seat. "Before you showed up he went to bars all the time and would be gone for a couple days at a time with some new girl of the week; but then you came and it suddenly all stopped. He hasn't gone out drinking once and I never see any girls come around the shop anymore."

"Seriously?" She asked, looking towards the door and thinking of James downstairs in the dining room. "You think I'm the reason he stopped doing all that stuff?"

"It wouldn't surprise me." Sam replied, looking over at her. "Nowadays he just hangs out around the shop making sure everything is running smoothly. There's one of the workers he hired that I think might have a crush on him; but I don't think he notices or cares."

"Oh really?" She asked, turning her attention back to Sam. "Who?"

"She's the receptionist, Clarisse I think is her name." Sam informed her. "She's from another planet on some sort of pilgrimage. Something about coming of age and finding her own path in the universe to bring honor back to her people." She let out a breath, "Or something like that, I didn't pay much attention to what any of the people James's interviewed said to me."

"And her pilgrimage brought her to a receptionist job on Montressor?" Hinata asked. "I mean, nothing against your shop or anything, but there isn't much honor to bring home with that."

Sam chuckled, "I know that's what I thought too; but she seems nice. The customers like her. She gets really nervous whenever James talks to her."

"Sounds like a crush to me." Hinata smiled. "Well hopefully I'll meet her tomorrow. She sounds interesting." She let out a yawn, "I'm looking forward to seeing your shop tomorrow too."

"Yeah, I'm excited for you to see it." Sam nodded, catching Hinata's yawn and yawning herself. "Well, I should let you finally get to bed."

"Thanks. Oh, and you might want to make sure James comes to bed. I tried waking him up from the dining room, but he was pretty out of it."

"Did he flirt with you?" Sam slightly groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"Uh, yeah. Does he usually do that when he's half-asleep?"

"Yes… it's weird." Sam sighed, standing from the couch. "But I'll handle him. I found it works well to just smack him on the back of the head. That usually wakes him right up."

Hinata laughed, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Alright, see you tomorrow Hinata." Sam told her, opening the bedroom door. "And… thank you for being understanding about Jim."

"Of course, Sam." She replied. "I wasn't kidding earlier, I'm really happy for you guys."

Sam smiled, "Thanks." She let out a breath, "Better go wake up my poor excuse of a brother."

"Oh he isn't that bad." Hinata laughed.

"Yeah, well you don't have to live with him." She pointed out with a laugh. She turned and walked out to the hall towards the stairs.

Hinata leaned against the doorframe, listening as Sam walked to the dining room. She waited for a few seconds before she heard a sudden whack and something hitting the top of a table.

"What the hell, Sam!?" James yelled with anger and confusion obvious in his voice.

"Don't 'what the hell' me," Sam scolded him back with a whisper. "Get out of the dining room and to your damn bed!"

Hinata tried to hold back her laughter as the siblings squabbled downstairs. Shaking her head, she closed the door to her room. Finally having a moment alone, her exhaustion waved over her all at once. She let out another yawn as she walked across the living room and entered the bedroom. It was too dark for her to make out many details in the room, but she could hear Riku still sound asleep. She felt her way towards the bed and grabbed a couple fluffy pillows as well as an extra blanket; before turning to head back to the living room. She stopped mid-turn and glanced back at Riku. With a small smile she quietly walked over to him and gave him a kiss on his cheek. Riku slightly stirred from her touch but didn't awaken, allowing Hinata to turn and leave the room unnoticed. She set up her blankets and pillows on the long couch and snuggled under the thick blanket to go to sleep. Leaning back on the pillow, she stared up at the ceiling. Everything was finally quiet around her as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

A knock on her door startled her awake. She shielded her eyes from the daylight pouring in from the window and sat up; feeling her body ache from being forced to move. The knocking continued and she called out, "You can come in!"

The door opened and Sam walked in, "Morning Sunshine! Just wanted to make sure you were awake."

Hinata saw it was Sam and lay back down. "Good morning…" She mumbled to her friend. "What time is it?"

"About six in the morning." Sam told her. "I have to head off to my shop to open it soon."

"Six?" Hinata sighed. "But…" She rolled over and planted her face in the pillow. "I'm still tired."

Sam chuckled, "Yeah, yeah, Sarah made some coffee downstairs and I made sure she had your favorite creamer too."

Hinata was silent for a moment, but eventually replied, "…I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Alright, see you soon." Sam chimed, walking out of the room.

Reluctantly, Hinata sat up again from the couch and looked around the empty room. Letting out a long breath she pushed away the warm blanket covering her body and forced herself to stand. She stretched her stiff muscles as she walked towards the bedroom.

"Good morning, Hinata." James called from the entrance of the room.

Hinata turned around and saw James standing by the door with his hands above him clasped on the doorframe. She gave him a tired smile. "Good morning."

"Did Sam wake you up?" He asked, noticing her exhausted state. When she nodded, he chuckled, "Yeah, she does that to me every morning. She likes everyone to be up with her."

"Well at least she didn't smack my head to wake me up."

He scoffed and rubbed his forehead, "Yeah, I wasn't that lucky." Hinata laughed in response while James looked her over, "Aren't you cold? Those aren't exactly winter pajamas."

Hinata looked down at her halter-top and shorts with a sigh. "Yeah, Riku packed my clothes for the trip and I don't think he was thinking about the weather." She chuckled, "I might need to buy a jacket or something."

"How is he feeling?"

"I haven't gotten the chance to see him yet. I slept on the couch." She told him, glancing back at the bedroom door.

"You guys don't sleep in the same bed?" He asked.

Hinata's cheeks blushed, "We usually do. I just don't want to get sick, so I slept out here."

James smiled and laughed under his breath. "Alright, I'll let you get ready. I'll see you downstairs."

Hinata nodded in response, her cheeks burning darker as she noticed him look her over again before turning to leave. She shook her head once he was out of sight and went over to the bedroom to check on Riku before getting ready. She opened the door and entered the quaint room. A large multi-paned window was along the wall, allowing the morning sunlight to brighten the room. The queen size bed stood in the center of the room, its back pushed against the wall. Riku was somewhere amongst the pile of blankets, still soundly sleeping.

Hinata walked over to the bed and moved away some of the blankets; finally spotting his flushed face. He was obviously in a lot of discomfort. Beads of sweat were all over his reddened skin and his breathing was ragged.

"He looks worse than yesterday." She commented under her breath with a worried expression on her face. Running her hand along his arm, she softly spoke, "Good morning Riku, how are you feeling?"

Ever so slowly, Riku reached up his hand over Hinata's while letting out a groan. "I…" He tried to talk, but his voice was incredibly scratchy. Lightly coughing, he tried again. "I feel horrible."

She frowned, "What's bothering you?"

"What isn't…?" He countered with his voice cracking as he spoke. He slowly rolled to his back and placed his hands over his face. "…I should probably stay here today."

Hinata ran her hand along his arm as she told him. "I'm going to stay here with you then."

"No, don't worry about me." He told her, pulling away his hands from his face so he could see Hinata. "I'll be fine on my own."

"But what if you need something while I'm gone?" She asked. "You need…"

"Hinata, I'll be fine." He interrupted her. "I'm not going to let you miss out on spending time with your friends."

"And I can't just let you be sick and alone on what's supposed to be our vacation." She told him.

"Well you're going to have to." He told her. "I'm not letting you stay here with me today. Go hang out with Sam."

"Riku…"

He turned away and told her, "I need to get some more sleep."

Hinata frowned and let out a long breath. "Alright fine… I'll make sure to have Sarah check on you today. And you can call me if you need me to come back."

"Have fun today." He told her, not turning back around.

"Thanks… feel better alright?"

"I'll try."

Hinata reluctantly left his side and went to her luggage. She pulled out a gray and dark-purple striped sweater and black pants before leaving the room to get ready. Within minutes she was coming down the stairs into the dining room of the inn as she brushed her fingers through her hair, allowing it to flow freely for once and fall past her shoulders. As she stepped down the last stair, she saw Sam already ready to go by the front door beside Jim, while James drank a cup of coffee half-awake in a booth.

"There you are!" Sam called out to her with a cheery smile. "Let's get you some coffee so we can head out."

"Why are you such a morning person?" Hinata asked with a slight grumble as she walked into the kitchen to get her coffee. As she swung the door to the kitchen open, she saw Ben standing by the sink washing some dishes.

He noticed her enter and beamed, "Ah good morning Hinata! This is just like old times! Both of us at the Benbo Inn before it opens, getting everything ready."

"It's amazing I was able to get up this early every day." She replied, as she opened a cupboard and grabbed a coffee mug. "Are you staying here today?"

"Sure am, Sarah mentioned that the holidays are super busy and they are short of staff; so I volunteered to help out!"

She chuckled, "Well I'm glad you'll be here. Do you know where Jack is by the way? I haven't seen him yet this morning."

"I believe he went home with the Dopplers last night." He replied, "You know how he is, he just loved their kids."

"Yeah, he really does." She smiled, "Well alright, have fun today."

"You too!" He called after her as she exited the kitchen.

Hinata reentered the dining room and walked over to the booth where a large coffee pot sat on top of the table. With a yawn she poured her coffee and mixed in some cream and sugar before sitting down beside James.

Sam walked over to the table and asked, "Is Riku not coming?"

"No, he's worse than yesterday." Hinata told her, staring down at her coffee. "So he's going to stay here and rest some more."

"Man, getting sick on vacation; that sucks." Sam sighed. "But hopefully he'll be better tomorrow. Are you ready to go?"

Hinata looked up at her, "I haven't even taken a sip of my coffee yet."

"You can take the mug with you if you would like." Sarah spoke up as she scurried around the dining room setting the tables for the day.

"Oh, sure thank you." Hinata smiled over at her. "And I know you'll probably be really busy today, but would you be able to check on Riku a couple times throughout the day? Maybe bring him some soup?"

"Of course," Sarah smiled. "He is a guest here after all."

"Alright let's get going or I'm going to be late!" Sam nagged.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." Hinata sighed as she stood from the booth.

The four friends exited the Inn and walked through the cold towards the shop. Hinata stood close to James as they both quietly held their cups of warm drinks in their hands while they followed Sam and Jim; who were chatting away with each other up ahead.

James glanced over at Hinata as she shivered and spoke up. "I'm sorry Riku is sick."

"It's alright," She replied, giving him a faint smile. "Thank you though."

"For what?"

"For caring."

He smiled, "Well yeah, I might not get along with the guy; but he makes you happy, so I'd rather see him healthy."

Hinata fell silent once again, unsure how to respond. They walked in an almost awkward silence for a few minutes, until James spoke up once again.

"Uh… sorry about last night." He told her, averting his eyes when she looked at him. "I don't really remember, but Sam mentioned I said some things I probably shouldn't have when you tried to wake me up."

She let out a breathy laugh, "No it's fine. I figured you weren't fully awake, so I don't hold it against you."

"Well good," he let out a breath of relief and gave her a sweet smile.

"We're almost there!" Sam called out to them.

Hinata looked away from James to see the familiar market place. It was mostly empty due to it being the day before Christmas but a few aliens still wandered the streets. Quickening her pace, she met up with Sam up ahead and walked along with her to the alley. As they entered the brick alleyway, Hinata slowed to a stop. The once rickety old door that led into the shop was now a glass two-doored entrance with a large sign that read, "Highwind Mechanics".

"You name your shop, Highwind?" Hinata asked, looking over at Sam beside her.

"Yeah, I hope that's alright." Sam replied, "There wasn't really any way for me to ask for permission and when James and I had to decide on a name it was the only thing that came to mind."

"Well I think it's great!" She assured her, "I was just surprised."

"Wait until you see inside." James told her, walking forward to unlock the door.

"Yeah it's great, and best of all it's heated." Jim added.

"Ooh that is the best part." Hinata agreed with a smile while shivering as a gust of chilling wind brushed past them.

James turned the key and pushed open the glass door, where the light inside immediately lit up. "Ladies first," He smirked over at Sam and Hinata.

Hinata walked forward and entered the building, her mouth going agape as she saw what was inside. The front lobby was now fully lit with new tile flooring and a marbled desk was positioned near the back wall behind rows of comfortable seats. Stylish paintings were hung on the walls and filled bookshelves were positioned on opposite ends of the room beside green potted plants.

"This is already amazing," Hinata told them as Sam walked in behind her. "How have you managed to change so much in just a couple months?"

Sam laughed, "You haven't even seen the factory yet. Plus, do you remember how much gold you gave us to build your ship? We got a full renovation team to redo the entire place."

"Do you actually get enough customers that they have to wait in here?" She asked, slowly following Sam to the factory.

"You kidding?" James asked, walking into the lobby and closing the door behind him once Jim entered. "People are in here throughout the day for consulting appointments with us. There are always a handful of people in here."

"Doesn't Clarisse handle that type of thing?" Hinata asked.

"Well she mostly handles the scheduling and signing people in on a waiting list." James explained, before realizing. "Wait, how do you know about Clarisse?"

"Oh, uh, Sam might have mentioned her to me." Hinata confessed, trying to shrug it off. She quickly turned around and headed towards the factory before James could press it further.

Walking past the marbled front desk, she entered the vast factory room. The once gray cement walls were paneled with wood painted a cream white and the floor was a polished wood. A thick metal railing blocked off the deep trench in the center of the room, where bulky ships were stationed. Large overhead lights well-lit the warmed vast area.

"Oh wow," Hinata whispered under her breath as she took everything in. "This is great!" She called after Sam.

"Yeah, I love the way everything looks now." Sam replied, turning towards Hinata and walking backwards. "I even got a whole new storage room built to organize the spare ship parts and tools. And James got his own personal office to meet with customers."

Hinata stopped walking and combed her hands through her hair as she looked around. "Man… fifteen years old and running an entire business. Suddenly I feel like I'm not doing anything with my life."

"Except helping to save the universe," James pointed out walking up behind her. "That's pretty impressive too."

"If I was as helpful as Riku, maybe." She shrugged, glancing back at him. "But I'm not sure I'm helping much."

"Don't sell yourself short." He told her while nudging her with his shoulder as he walked past. "I have to get some paperwork done in my office; I'll be out in a little bit."

"So what do you think?" Jim asked Hinata after James walked away. "Pretty impressive, right?"

"Yeah," She agreed before glancing over at him, "Can you believe your girlfriend runs an entire business?"

His cheeks blushed as he chuckled nervously, "You aren't going to tell anybody about that are you? Sam being my girlfriend…"

"What and ruin the surprise for everyone else when you guys tell them tomorrow?" She asked before smirking, "I promise I won't say a word. I am glad you guys are finally together though. You seem happy."

"I am," He admitted with a small smile as he watched Sam get the shop ready for opening. "I never thought I would have a chance with her again. I just wish we didn't have to do long distance."

"Yeah, me too." She nodded. "How much longer are you planning at staying at the Academy?"

"It's a four year program," He explained. "After that they usually station graduates on a ship or send them on different missions around the galaxy."

"Like Amelia?" She asked.

"Sort of like that, it really depends on what you study in. I don't really know where I'll end up."

"I hope Sam will be able to come with you."

"Yeah…" He slowly nodded before confessing, "I couldn't ask her to leave the shop though."

"She might be more willing to leave than you think." Hinata mentioned.

Jim looked over at her with a questioning look, but before he could ask her to explain, Sam ran over to them.

"Alright, the shop's ready for opening." She told them. "I just have to finish up the big ship remodel project and then we can hang out."

Hinata smiled at her and nodded, "Don't worry about me. Take as long as you need. I'll probably just bother James while you work."

Sam chuckled, "I'd like to see that. He could use to loosen up during work hours." She walked past Hinata to head towards the lobby. "The people James hired should be here soon too. You'll be able to meet them."

"Sounds good." She replied, giving Jim a slight nod as he turned to walk with Sam.

She watched as they slowly moved closer together and reluctantly held hands while they went to the lobby. With a laugh under her breath, Hinata turned away and began walking towards the office James had gone into earlier. She approached a brown door and spotted a small gold sign nailed to the top reading, 'Head Consultant: James Ainsworth'.

"Ainsworth?" Hinata read aloud. "Is that really his last name?" Shaking her head, she wrapped her hand around the doorknob and twisted it open.

Opening the door, she looked into the quaint office. The walls were the same cream as the factory and pictures of art hung along the walls. A couple potted plants stood beside the large wooden desk James sat behind, working away on a pile of paperwork. He glanced up when he heard the door open and slightly smiled when he saw Hinata.

"Can I help you?" He asked her in an overly professional voice.

Hinata opened her mouth to respond but then cleared her throat and replied in a fake posh voice, "Yes Mr. Ainsworth, I was just wondering when you were planning on doing your job?"

He stared at her with a mixture of confusion and amusement before laughing, "What?"

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "It's just… I saw your name plate on the door and found out your last name, so I uh, thought I'd try to pretend I was… I don't know." She let out a breath. "Yeah, I'm just going to leave before I do something else I regret."

"No, no wait!" He half-stood from his desk chair while laughing. "That was probably one of the silliest things I've ever seen you do!"

"Yeah, that's really not helping me feel better," She sighed.

He tried to contain the rest of his laughter as he replied, "Just come on in, Miss Pond."

It was her turn to laugh, "You do realize I made up that last name when I filled out the paperwork for the ship, right?"

"What, seriously?!" He asked, completely aghast. Falling back into his chair he talked under his breath. "But I actually liked the sound of Hinata Pond."

"Yeah, that was just the last name of a character I liked in a show I watched back on the island." She confessed as she walked into the office and sat down in a seat in front of his desk.

"I can't believe you lied on official documents… what's your real last name?" He asked.

"If I lied about it, do you really think I'm going to just tell you?" She countered before asking, "But Ainsworth? Is that really your and Sam's last name?"

"You can't just change the subject like that," He objected, crossing his arms. "Lying about your actual name in official documents is a pretty crazy offense."

"On Montressor? The planet that doesn't care if kids drop out of school or drink at bars?" She asked. "Lying about my last name causes problems but those things don't? Plus I'm not even from this galaxy."

"That isn't the point…" He replied.

"Look I'm sorry I put the incorrect name," She interrupted. "But the ship got built and I don't even live here anymore; so it shouldn't really matter now."

He slightly frowned but nodded, "I guess you're right."

"So… Ainsworth?" She asked.

Letting out a long breath, he finally resigned. "It really is my last name. It isn't of human descent but it comes from my dad." He was about to continue before there was a knock on the door. "Uh, yeah. Come in!" He called.

Ever so slowly the door opened and a young woman meekly walked in, tightly holding onto a clipboard. The faint white freckles on her light-blue skin sparkled against her blushed cheeks. Her glistening white hair was pulled back into an intricate braid, falling over her professional outfit. Hinata's eyes widened when she saw her walk in.

"Sorry to interrupt sir," She began to speak.

"I told you before Clarisse, you can just call me James." He interrupted her.

"Right… sorry." Clarisse replied, her cheeks blushing a bit darker, making her sparkling freckles more evident. "I just wanted to give you the schedule for next week." As she talked, Hinata could detect the slightest hint of an accent in her voice.

"Great, thanks." He nodded, holding out his hand for the schedule.

"O-of course," She quickly replied, handing him the clipboard. With a quick glance she looked over at Hinata. "Good morning to you, ma'am."

"Oh you don't have to be formal with her either," James told her, looking over the schedule. "This is Hinata."

"Oh Hinata, I've heard much about you." Clarisse greeted with a small smile, placing her hands together in front of her and slightly bowing. "I am Clarisse D'veari. Mr. Ainsworth…"

"James," James interrupted.

"R-right," She nodded before continuing. "He recently hired me as the Highwind's receptionist. Are you enjoying your visit to Montressor?"

Hinata stared at her with a loss for words for a few seconds before realizing she had been asked a question. "Oh, uh yeah. It's been great seeing my friends again." She cleared her throat and cleared her thoughts. "How have you liked working here so far?"

"It has been quite lovely." She replied, quickly glancing at James as he was still looking over the schedule.

"Sam mentioned to me that you're on some sort of pilgrimage?" Hinata asked.

"Yes," She politely nodded. "It is tradition on my planet Talz, that to fully come of age each Talzian must go through a Pilgrimage where they travel the galaxy to experience other cultures and appreciate life with others before returning home and sharing their experiences."

"Are there not other aliens on your home planet?" Hinata asked incredibly intrigued.

Clarisse shook her head and was about to respond, but James interjected. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Clarisse should get back to the front desk. There are probably guests."

"Oh, you're right!" Clarisse squeaked, giving a slight bow, she stammered, "I apologize, I must return to my work." She quickly turned and fled the office, shutting the door behind her.

"She seems nice," Hinata noted, glancing over at James as he shrugged in response.

"She's alright. The customers seem to like her." He replied.

Hinata watched him for a moment, "She really seems to like you."

"Look, I know what you are trying to do; what both you and Sam are trying." He looked up at her, "But Clarisse isn't my type."

"Why not? She's gorgeous!" She objected. "Plus she's super sweet and…"

"Why don't you go ask her out for dinner yourself if you think that highly of her?" He interrupted, motioning his arm towards the factory. "Seriously, no thanks."

Hinata frowned, "Oh come on James, why won't you give her a chance? She's obviously into you."

"And I'm obviously not into her." He replied.

"But why not?"

"Why does it matter?" He asked, frustration rising in his voice. "Why do you and Sam want to dictate who I like?"

"We're just worried about you James."

"Yeah well don't," He replied. "I'm fine focusing on work. I don't need to spend my time trying to get some girl to like me; I'm done with that."

Hinata sat back in her chair and remained silent for a few minutes as James went back to his paperwork. Eventually speaking up, she slowly asked. "Is it because of me?"

"What?" He asked, trying to act like he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Are you avoiding finding another girl because of me?" She asked him more straightforward.

He put down his pen and looked up at Hinata. They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Hinata's communication device suddenly vibrated in her pocket.

"I need to get this," She quickly told him, "Sorry…" She stood from her seat and pulled out the device from her pocket. Pressing the blue button in the center, she was surprised to see a hologram of Ben appear. "Ben? Where's Riku?"

"Ah hey, Hinata," Ben spoke up, looking around as if he were worried. "Riku's um… well he's sort of fighting a guy. He's totally safe! I think… But anyways, he wanted me to call you to let you know; so I guess I'll let you go…"

"He's what?!" Hinata exclaimed. "Who the hell is he fighting?"

"Remember those guys you fought back in Atlantis?" Ben asked. "You know the ones in the black coats?"

Hinata felt her face pale and she heard James abruptly stand from his seat. "But… how did they know we were here?" She asked under her breath. Shaking her head, she asked. "Alright, I'll be right there. Do you know which Member he's fighting?"

"Not a clue!" Ben yelled, "But Riku seems to know. They were talking a bit before they began to fight."

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can." Hinata told him before ending the call.

"Why would the Organization show up now?" James asked.

"I-I don't know," Hinata replied, trying to catch her mind up with what she just heard. Tightening her hand around the device she said, "But I can't think about that right now. I need to get to Riku." She stuffed the device in her pocket and ran out of the office before James could respond.


	23. Burned

Chapter 23

Riku lay face down on the long couch in the cozy living room. The rancid scent of sickness reeked through the air around him but he had grown accustomed to it. He coughed against the pillow he had buried his face into, only to cringe as the action only made his already sore throat intensify in its sting. Hinata had only left a couple hours before, but it felt to Riku as if she had already been absent for an eternity. Every minute was aching by slower than an injured snail in his opinion. Even as he attempted to get more rest, he could hear every single tick from the clock hanging on the wall near the door leading out to the rest of the Inn. Even the muffled chatter from the Inn's patrons downstairs couldn't drown out the incessant ticking.

With a groan, he slowly turned his aching body to lie on his back. With the back of his hand he pushed his hair out of his face, having to retry the action a couple times as many stands of his hair stuck to his sweat slicked skin. His skin was incredibly warm to the touch, making him constantly sweat; but he felt as if he were in the middle of a snow storm left without a jacket, or even clothes in general for that matter. Trying to focus his heavy eyes, he stared up at the ceiling fan that slowly circled above his head. Watching it spin was the most entertaining thing he had done that day.

Bringing both his hands to his face, he complained in a husky voice, "This is just sad…"

The only sound in response to his complaint was yet another tick from the clock as another second passed, making him cringe. With a growl he grabbed the pillow underneath his head and flung it towards the clock; falling back to the couch with a harrumph when the feathered plush harmlessly bounced off the time-telling device without so much as budging it from its place.

He inwardly grumbled to himself as he lay back on the couch and continued watching the fan above slowly turn; barely noticing the sound of rushed footsteps racing up the stairs in the Inn.

Without warning, the door to his room swung open as Ben rushed in yelling, "Riku!"

"What?" He called back raspingly with as much annoyance laced in as humanly possible.

Ben came further into the room and spotted Riku lying almost pathetically on the couch. A small personal trash can was on the floor beside him and crumpled up tissues strewn all around him. "There you are!" Ben quickly spoke, not lowering his loud voice, despite the way Riku winced from his volume.

"What do you want Ben?" Riku asked him again, annoyance still clear in his voice as anger also began to mix in.

"Oh uh…" Ben began to tell him, bringing his hand to his chin as if he was having trouble remembering.

"Ben…" he groaned.

"There's someone downstairs!" Ben remembered as his eyes lit up.

Riku waited for him to continue, but when Ben was seemingly waiting for him to respond instead, he lifted himself up onto his elbows and stared at Ben with an irritated glare.

Ben caught the glare and uncomfortably cleared his throat before explaining. "Do you remember those guys who showed up back at Atlantis?"

All at once Riku realized what Ben was talking about. He immediately sat up, ignoring the way his body and head throbbed from his sudden movement. "The Organization?"

"Ah… I'm not so sure." Ben scratched his head. "Does the Organization wear black coats?"

Riku jumped up and scrambled to the bedroom, while calling behind him. "How many are there?"

"Just the one!" Ben replied, following Riku to the other room. "He just waltzed right into the Inn like he knew the place and loudly asked if anyone knew where Hinata was."

Pulling on his black coat, he asked, "And then what?"

"And then I ran up here to get you!" Ben told him proudly. "I figured you would know what to do!"

"Good call," Riku told him as he zipped up his jacket. He looked up towards the door leading into the hall of the Inn and momentarily felt incredibly dizzy. He shook his head to refocus and clenched his fists. "Alright… I'll handle this."

"Should I get Hinata?" Ben asked as Riku slowly walked towards the exit of the room trying to keep his balance.

"No, that would just put her in danger." Riku told him quickly, holding back a gag as he was hit with a sudden bout of nausea. "It's best if the Organization doesn't know where she is."

He leaned against the door frame that led out to the hall. The corners of his vision were blurred as his head was relentlessly pounding. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself off the polished wood frame and stood tall as he walked down the steps into the dining room. The patrons sat at their tables, worriedly murmuring and whispering to each other; but a few of them stared intently out the front window, watching as Sarah stood outside speaking with a tall man in a black coat with fiery red hair atop his head.

Riku slowed to a momentary stop and whispered under his breath, "Axel…"

Clenching his hands to help distract himself from the waves of discomfort going through him, he continued moving. He pushed open the entrance door to the Inn and shivered as the icy outside winds rushed into him. Silently, he walked up to Sarah and Axel with his black hood concealing his face.

"Come now," Axel spoke to Sarah with his arms crossed, "You must have some idea where she is." He was about to press her further before he saw another black cloaked figure out of the corner of his eye. He quickly looked up with his emerald eyes and a devilish smirk appeared on his face. "Well look who finally decided to join the party."

Without responding, Riku immediately stopped walking and summoned Soul Eater.

A sudden laugh escaped Axel, "What, no hello?" He motioned his hands as he asked. "We haven't seen each other in months and this is the greeting I get?" When Riku once again met him with silence, he placed his hands on his hips and shook his head, "Man oh man, and here I was thinking you would be happy to see me."

He noticed Sarah backing away towards her Inn, but did nothing to try to stop her. Within seconds she was safely back inside the Benbo and it was only Axel and Riku outside.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Axel asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Why are you here?" Riku finally spoke up, attempting to keep his voice level without coughing. He pulled back his hood to reveal his face.

"Didn't you get the memo?" Axel asked him, "Hinata, of course. Why else would I be here?"

"You're not getting her." Riku told him adamantly, holding up Soul Eater prepared to fight. "Now leave before I make you!"

"Oh come now," Axel rolled his eyes, "Is that really all you have to say?" He waited for Riku to respond, but when he remained silent he let out a long breath, "Fine then, you leave me no choice." Holding out his hands to his sides, circles of bright flames encircled them. When they died out, sharp spiked chakrams appeared in his hands. He looked up at Riku with a smirk and a fire in his eyes.

Riku stared back at Axel, waiting for him to make the first move. His entire body was aching and throbbing. The corners of his vision blurred making the entire situation in front of him almost seem like a dream. He was brought back to reality as Axel sprinted towards him. Riku jumped back just as the chakra swung in front of him, allowing the weapon to miss him; but he could feel the sharp wind from the strength of the swing. Holding up Soul Eater he sliced towards Axel, clanging against his chakrams. The cringing sound of scraping metal rose between them as they tried to overpower the other by putting all their strength into pushing their weapons against each other.

Axel suddenly jumped back to break their lock and reassess the fight. Riku scrounged up the last bit of energy inside of him and shot a string of Dark Aura towards his enemy. He watched as the glowing dark-magic plummeted toward Axel, feeling the power immediately drain out of him. Axel brought up his chakrams and shielded himself from the magic blast, the momentum from the blast made him slide back a couple feet, yet he remained unharmed.

"Is that really all you've got?" Axel goaded him, before noticing Riku's paled skin. "Careful, wouldn't want to exhaust yourself before the fights over. That would make things all too easy for me."

Riku tightened his hand around Soul Eater and ran towards Axel. Their weapons clanged against each other as they exchanged blows.

Axel jumped back and yelled, "Burn!" He set his weapon ablaze and threw them towards Riku.

Riku rolled out of the way and summoned a dark shield. A translucent shield shimmered around him, catching the excess flames and immediately making them fizz out. Riku tried to get back up to his feet, but the drain of magic leaving his system made his already nauseous stomach flip. He grasped his stomach with one of his hands while barely holding himself up with his other arm.

"Didn't I warn you not to exhaust yourself?" Axel reminded him, flipping the chakrams in his hand. "You don't need to make this so hard on yourself. Just tell me where Hinata is and I'll leave you alone."

Breathing heavily, Riku tried to regain his focus, but his already sick body was at its limits. His vision was completely blurred at this point and his heart was pounding as his stomach threatened to purge everything inside of it. The burn of stomach acid stung his throat making him gag.

Axel heard him retch and immediately turned back towards him. "You're not going to throw up are you?" His question came too late as Riku heaved and the foul stench filled the air. Holding back a gag himself, Axel brought his hand to his nose and complained, "Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?"

Catching a breath, Riku used the back of his hand and wiped his mouth. He shakily stood back up, ignoring the way his throat burned from the bile. Tightly clasping Soul Eater, he swung it towards Axel.

"What, seriously?" Axel exclaimed as he jumped out of the way of the blade. When he was at a safe distance he tried to reason with him, "Riku, go inside and get rest. This isn't…"

He was interrupted as Riku rushed towards him and forced him to block with his chakrams.

"What's your problem?" Axel asked him with strain in his voice as he pushed his weapons against his.

"You're not…" Riku began to reply, inhaling sharply. "You're not getting her." As the last word left this mouth, his stomach began to dry-heave.

As if in reflex, Axel leapt back and yelled. "Oh no you don't. Don't even think about throwing up on me."

Riku clenched at his stomach again but forced himself to stand straight. He readied Soul Eater again, ready to fight.

"You won't give up will you?" Axel asked him. Making his weapons disappear he resigned, "Alright fine, I'll leave." Putting out his hand he summoned a Corridor of Darkness, "But don't think this is the last you'll see of me. I'm under orders." Tapping his finger to his head he asked "Got it memorized?"

Riku slowly nodded, not allowing himself to speak in fear that he wouldn't be able to keep everything in. As he saw Axel turn around he felt a small wave of relief washing over him.

"Lea?" Hinata's voice asked behind him.

The relief Riku was feeling was immediately replaced with dread. He barely turned his head to see Hinata standing there with Sam and Jim running up behind her.

Axel swiftly turned around and smirked when he saw Hinata. With a wave of his hand he made the Corridor disappear before giving a small shrug towards Riku. "It was a nice effort." Walking towards Hinata, he outstretched his arms and greeted, "Hinata, it's been a long time."

"What are you doing here, Lea?" Hinata asked.

"Lea?" He repeated, "The name's Axel. A-X-E-L, got it memorized?"

She rolled her eyes, "Answer my question."

He stopped walking and crossed his arms, "Why don't you take a guess?"

She stared at him in silence for a moment, knowing full well why he or any Organization member would be where she was. "What does the Organization want with me?"

"Beats me," He shrugged, "I'm just following orders." Outstretching his hand he offered, "Come with me and we can find out together."

"You have to be some special form of dumb to think she is going anywhere with you." Sam spoke up, stepping forward.

"Do I?" He asked. "Why don't you ask her what she truly wants?" He looked back to Hinata. "I hope she does exactly as her heart commands her." Her eyes widened and he asked. "So what is your choice, Hinata?"

"Don't you even think about going with him," Sam whispered harshly and grabbed Hinata's arm.

Hinata placed her hand over Sam's, "Don't worry." She looked back up at Axel. "Does Roxas know you're here?"

"I'm not sure that matters," He replied.

"I think it does," She replied, "I mean, I wonder how he would feel if he knew you were trying to kidnap one of your best friends?"

"Best friends?" Axel repeated with a chuckle.

"We might not be now but we were once." She reminded him. "Whatever happened to wanting to live forever in people's memories by being their friend?"

"You know, I'm hearing a lot of chatter from you but little decision making." He promptly changed the subject. Lifting his hand once more he repeated, "Last chance to come peacefully."

Hinata frowned and glanced over at Riku, who was standing a few feet behind Axel. It was obvious he was completely exhausted from already fighting. She peeked behind her at Sam and Jim; both of them prepared for a fight but Hinata knew neither of them would be able to handle Axel. If a battle broke out there was no guarantee any of them would be safe.

Looking back at Axel she told him, "The only way I'm going with you is if you promise to leave everyone else alone."

"Are you crazy?" Jim interrupted, making her look back at him. "You go with him and you have no idea what's waiting for you. You've seen firsthand what they are capable of."

"Do you really think they have anything good in mind for you?" Sam added.

"He's going to attack if I don't go." She told them. "I can't risk anyone getting hurt." She looked towards Riku and added, "You shouldn't have to protect me. I need to take care of this myself." Removing Sam's hand from her arm she began walking forward, ignoring their objections.

"Hinata, don't!" Riku yelled. Still standing close to Axel, he instantly elbowed him in the center of his spine, making him stumble forward with an unexpected cry of pain. Feeling a new adrenaline kick in, Riku sprinted towards Hinata and grabbed her arm. "You aren't going anywhere with him." He looked back to Sam and Jim, "Get her inside the inn, I'll handle Axel."

"What? No, Riku…" Hinata began to object.

"I'm not letting you go," He told her adamantly.

"Hinata, come on," Sam grabbed her free arm.

"You know I really don't want to fight you." Axel told them, trying to stand back up straight with a pained expression. Holding out his hands he made his chakrams reappear with bright hot fire. "But I can't dishonor the Organization, now can I?"

"Lea stop!" Hinata yelled as she hastily pulled away from Riku and Sam.

"Burn baby!" He yelled out as orange flames completely enveloped him, making the ground around him turn molten. With a yell he shot out a large burst of flames towards the entire group.

Reacting as fast as she could, Hinata outstretched her hands and brought up a tall wall of water to shield them to the best of her ability. Hot steam erupted the moment the two elements met. The heat of the flames warmed Hinata's skin even through the water and she could hear frightened yells from everyone around her. Beads of sweat appeared on her skin as she struggled to keep enough water between them and the seemingly endless fire blast. Ever so slowly, Hinata could feel her magic draining and Axel's only growing stronger. She glanced over at Riku to see him also joining in whatever magic he had left to help her; but he was already weak as it was. Within seconds he was forced to release his spell and fell to the ground.

With a strained shaking voice, Hinata ordered, "E-everyone get inside the Inn! I can't... hold on much longer!" Her words came too late as the last bit of her magic evaporated. She crumpled to her knees and waited expectantly for the flames to hit her but nothing touched her. She looked up to see flames completely surrounding her in a sphere and Axel standing right in front of her.

"Gotcha," He told her with a smirk as he reached down and grabbed her wrist.

Before she could respond he surrounded them with a black mist and they disappeared; leaving the others behind. The moment they were gone the flames fizzed out without so much as a whiff of smoke.

Sam lay on the ground grabbing at her arm that had been severely burned from the fire. Trying to keep herself from screaming out in pain, she looked down at her crisped skin. Her entire forearm was a dark red with complete sections of skin singed off with charred edges. Looking down at it, she couldn't help but cry out at the sight.

"J-Jim!" She screamed, feeling the corners of her eyes sting with tears.

He was immediately at her side with small burns along his skin but nothing major. "I'm right here. I've got you. You're going to be alright." He tried to calm her while he held her in his arms.

He looked at her arm while she cried in his chest, trying to hold back the lump in his throat and the knot in his stomach. Forcing his eyes away, he looked up and saw that Hinata was nowhere to be seen and neither was Axel. Riku lay unconscious a few feet away from them and the once green grass around the front of the Inn was burned to a blackened crisp. The entrance to the Inn opened and everyone flooded out, returning home before another disaster struck. Sarah and Ben ran out amongst the crowd and rushed towards them.

Tears were already streaming down Sarah's face as she approached her son. She brought her hand over her mouth when she saw the state of Sam's arm. Kneeling down she placed her hand against Jim's cheek. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah mom I'm fine," Jim told her quickly, "But we need to get Sam to the hospital right now."

Sarah nodded but didn't move; her eyes were glued to Sam's arm.

"Mom!" Jim yelled.

"Y-yes, you're right." She stammered. Getting ahold of herself, she stood and ran back to the Inn to call the ambulance.

"Jim what do you need me to do?" Ben asked, uncomfortably fiddling his hands.

"Make sure Riku is alright," Jim motioned his head towards Riku still unconscious. "He'll want to know about Hinata."

"Jim it hurts…" Sam sobbed in his chest as Ben ran over to Riku.

"I know," He told her, gently kissing her head, "You're going to be alright. My mom's calling an ambulance right now."

"Don't leave me." She cried, burying her face against him.

"I won't…" he promised her.

Ben knelt down beside Riku, "Uh Riku? Jimmy told me to wake you up."

Using the tip of his metal finger, he gently nudged his shoulder. Riku's eyes immediately shot open and he swiftly sat up; wincing in response as his head overwhelmingly throbbed.

He brought both his hands to his face, trying to tune out the ringing in his ears and every muscle in his body aching. The noise of disjointed voices surrounded him but he couldn't make a single sound out as everything seemed to meld together. Gradually removing his hands from his face, he realized his vision was blurred, but he could make out the faint shape of Ben beside him. Ever so slowly his body readjusted to being awake. Sam's incoherent sobbing was the first thing he could make out, he shot his head around and saw her curled up in Jim's arms crumbled on the ground as her severely burned arm laid bare in front of her.

"What happened?" Riku asked his voice coarse and quiet. He looked up at Jim beside Sam and asked again, "Where is Hinata?"

Jim stared back at him in silence, trying to find the words to say. Inhaling deeply, he decided it was best to give the truth. "Axel distracted us with fire and took Hinata."

"What?" He asked in disbelief. His memories were still jumbled as he tried to recall what had happened before he lost consciousness. Ignoring his weak muscles, he pushed himself to stand. He staggered as he struggled to regain his balance. "Where is she?"

"I don't know." Jim told him honestly. "When the fire disappeared both of them were gone."

Riku spun around, feebly attempting to catch sight of them as if they had merely run off rather than using a Corridor or Darkness. "But," He began to say, starting to get fragments of his memory back. "Axel was about to leave. I had convinced him to go but then…" He quickly looked towards Ben and remembered, "But then Hinata suddenly showed up. Why was she here?"

Ben uncomfortably cleared his mechanical throat and backed up. "Well… you see…"

"Why was she here?" Riku asked again, his voice rising in volume and anger.

"I might have… called her to let her know what was going on." Ben confessed.

Riku clenched his fists, every inch of his body tensed. With a low voice, he simply asked, "You mean right after I told you not to?"

"Well you weren't doing so well and got worried," Ben told him honestly.

He fell into a tense silence; the only sound was Sam's sobbing and Jim's gentle words as he tried to calm her. Taking a long deep breath, Riku slowly began to speak, "So you called her and put her and her friends in danger?"

"When you put it that way…" Ben began to explain.

Riku tightly closed his eyes; he felt the spark of darkness in his palm as dark firaga engulfed his hand.

"Riku stop!" Jim yelled. When Riku shot his head towards him, he assured him, "There's enough going on, you don't need to make things worse."

"Make things worse?" He repeated with bitterness in his voice. "You mean like he did? He pointed to Ben. "None of this would have happened if he had only listened…"

"He screwed up! I get it," Jim interrupted, "I know you're worried about Hinata and I'll help you look for her. But taking this out on Ben won't help anything. We need to take care of Sam first."

Riku looked down at Sam as she wept in Jim's arms. The anger and darkness in his heart melted away as the spell around his hand dissipated. Slowly, he walked forward and knelt in front of Sam. He carefully picked up her arm, glancing up at her when she let out a cry of pain in response. "I can't heal everything, but I can help." He looked behind him at Ben, "Do you have any potions?"

Ben silently nodded and opened his chest compartment, pulling out a small handful of glass vials. He walked forward and quickly handed them to Riku. "Uh, Riku, are you sure you should be using magic with how ill you are?"

"I know what I'm doing." He told him, ignoring his advice. Grabbing the vials from him, Riku ordered, "Go back to Sam's shop and tell her brother what happened." When Ben didn't immediately respond, he glared up at him, "Now."

"Yes sir," Ben worriedly saluted and sprinted away.

As Ben ran off, Riku popped all the lids off the tiny vials and drank all of them at once; feeling the sensation of the adrenaline pulsating through him. He inhaled deeply, allowing the new power to give him new energy. He took off one of his black gloves and placed it in his pocket. He looked up at Sam as she watched him with pained curiosity and warned her, "This isn't going to be pleasant. Do you still want me to do it?"

Sam sniffled and shortly nodded her head.

"Alright," He took her answer and focused his gaze on her singed arm. A green mist slowly appeared out of his palm and seeped into Sam's skin.

"Gah!" She yelled through clenched teeth as the mist sunk in.

Jim reached over and grabbed her free hand, allowing her to squeeze as tightly as she needed while Riku healed her. The deepest burns in her once fair skin slowly pieced back together. The charred edges around the burns crumbled away to reveal new skin cells underneath. Jim made a pained expression as Sam squeezed his hand seemingly hard enough to crush the small bones inside him, but he looked down as her death-grip suddenly fell limp.

"S-Sam?" He asked with panic plain in his voice.

"She just passed out." Riku assured him, his own voice heavy as his new found energy was already fading. Letting his hand fall and making the green mist dissipate, he told him, "I did all I can. She should probably still go to the hospital."

"Thank you." Jim told him, tightly holding Sam in his arms. "Once the ambulance gets here I'll help however I can to find Hinata."

Riku only nodded in response and sat back with exhaustion. They sat in silence, both of them trying to wrap their minds about what had just happened. Worry and tension filled the brittle air around them as they waited for the ambulance to arrive. Only minutes had passed since Axel had taken Hinata, but to Riku it seemed like hours. Every moment she was gone was another moment she was in clear danger. He uncharacteristically fidgeted his hands and he tapped his foot up and down against the crisped remains of grass, feeling every second sludge by. He looked towards the inn and saw Sarah crying inside through the window.

Suddenly he remembered his communications device still inside the Inn, back in his room. Or at least that was where he had left it before Ben had taken it to call Hinata. Pushing himself to his feet, he dragged his feet and made his way towards the Inn. He pushed open the door, hearing the bell cheerily chime him welcome as he came inside. Sarah sat slumped at a booth with her face planted in her hands while she cried. The telephone was hanging against the long corded line beside her, the dull dial tone resonating from its speaker.

She looked up when she heard the bell and quickly wiped her tears away. With a sniffle, she quickly explained, "I called an ambulance, but they told me they may take some time." She inhaled sharply and explained, "Too many emergencies I suppose."

Riku looked out the window towards Jim and Sam still sitting on the ground outside. "Sam's doing alright." He assured her, but he wasn't sure he could even believe his own words. "I did what I could for her."

"Thank you," She told him, trying to force a smile before crying. "I just can't believe this happened."

"Neither can I," He admitted quietly, before turning away and heading up the stairs.

With every step he took his body reminded him that he was still very sick. He kept trying to ignore the way his stomach kept convulsing and the sting in his throat every time he so much as breathed. He couldn't focus on it. There was too much going on, too many other important things. Reaching his room, he found the door still open. He walked into the living area, everything still exactly the way he had left it. Entering the bedroom, his body yearned to lie down on the plush mattress and pretend the day was just a dream. Shaking his head, he turned towards the bedside table where he had stored his communications device and emitted a low growl when he found it missing.

Closing his eyes he imagined the alley before the mechanic shop and outstretched his hand once he made a connection. He stumbled forward as the magic left his body to create a Corridor, but he caught himself on the headboard of the bed. Grimacing, he pushed himself forward and went through the black pulsating portal.

He appeared in the Corridor of Darkness but paid it little mind as he trudged forward. Waves of heat coursed through him, a cold sweat shined on his skin. Everything inside of him ached and stomach felt as if it were bruised from the inside out; yet he continued walking. He had to get his communications device back from Ben. Perhaps DiZ had some sort of means to track Hinata and there was only one way to find out.

Much longer than he would have liked, he made it to the bright light at the end of the corridor and upon entering it he appeared in the brick alleyway right in front of the shop. Without even noticing the polished refurbishing of the shop, he rushed towards the entrance and barged inside.

Clarisse sat at the front desk and immediately stood when she noticed Riku enter. "Welcome!" She greeted with a sweet unknowing smile. "What can I…"

"Where is Ben?" He interrupted her.

She stopped talking and gave him a confused expression. "I, uh, I'm not sure I understand who…"She began.

"I'll find him myself," He dismissed her and walked right past her into the large factory beyond.

"Wait!" She called after him, reluctantly leaving the lobby to trail after him. "You can't just come back here!"

Riku ignored her complaints and hastily walked into the vast factory. He could hear the robot's distinctive voice echoing through the room, but he couldn't make out what he was saying. Following the voice, Riku found himself in front of an office door with James's name plastered on top of it. Without knocking he opened the door and walked in to find Ben horribly explaining the situation and James standing at his desk completely confused.

Clarisse rushed into the office after Riku, "I-I'm sorry sir, he just barged in."

"Riku," Ben turned and noticed him. "I, uh, didn't realize you would be coming here."

"What's going on?" James demanded. "He isn't making any sense."

Riku looked at both of them and poorly explained, "Hinata is missing and Sam is on her way to the hospital with severe burns." He looked to Ben and demanded, "Give me back my communications device."

"What?!" James yelled. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't have time to explain everything." Riku told him quickly, snatching his device back from Ben. He turned around and moved past Clarisse to get out of the office. He was about to press the center button on the device to call DiZ, but was interrupted when James grabbed his arm and forced him to face him.

"What the hell happened?" He asked him again, anger in his tone.

Riku backhanded his hand off of him with a scowl. "You want to know so badly, get to the hospital for Sam."

"What about Hinata?" He asked. "What can I do to help?"

"I'm taking care of it." Riku told him, pushing past him to leave the shop.

James reached forward and grabbed Riku's arm again, "Will you just stop for one second?"

Spinning around, Riku grabbed James's collar and shoved him against the wall.

"Stop!" Clarisse squeaked, rushing towards them. She slowed to a halt when James put up his hand for her to calm down.

"I get your whole tough guy act, but this isn't about you." James told him with a glare, "If you want to find Hinata you might need my help. If she's still on Montressor I'll be able to find her." When Riku didn't respond or move, he added, "Stop acting like you're the only that cares about her."

Riku's scowl only deepened as he shoved James harder against the wall and clenched his other hand into a tight fist.

"That's enough!" Clarisse yelled, forcing herself between the two of them and pushing Riku back; making him release James. She stood as tall as him, staring back at him with anger obvious in her bright gold eyes and her flushed cheeks. "I don't understand the quarrel between you two but this is not the place! Need I remind both of you that this is a place of business? I apologize for whatever has happened but causing physical harm to James will not be tolerated here or anywhere I am for that matter!"

Riku looked past Clarisse towards James. Letting out a long breath, he took a couple steps back and told him, "Just get to the hospital for your sister. I'll let you know what I find out about Hinata."

"Alright, I'll be waiting." James nodded, rubbing his collar bone where Riku had grabbed.

Without responding, Riku disappeared in a black smoke. He reappeared not too far outside the shop near the outskirts of the marketplace. The bustling noise from all the surrounding shops and aliens only caused his head to pound with pain and frustration. Once again pulling out the communications device, he pressed the center button and within seconds, DiZ's hologram appeared in the center.

"Riku, this is unexpected," DiZ greeted him. "What is…"

"Axel was here." He hastily interrupted. With an almost shaking voice, he retold everything that had happened that day when Axel showed up. DiZ remained silent as he spoke, his expression unreadable.

When he had finished, DiZ told him. "I was worried an event like this would happen. I am surprised that it was Axel however… Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to track Hinata. Her heart is shielded from the perception-filter on the bracelet she made from the black coat."

"You can't track her communication's device?" Riku asked.

DiZ slowly shook his head, "Not from here. She would have to be in this galaxy for any sort of electronical tracking to work."

Riku let out a sudden yell of aggravation, ignoring the startled looks he got from people in the market around him. Taking a deep breath, he calmed back down and asked, "Then what am I supposed to do?"

"We must trust that Hinata can get herself out of the situation." DiZ told him.

"That's not good enough!" Riku yelled again, his already thin patience steadily snapping further with every negative response he was given. He cleared his throat and replied with a somewhat calmer voice. "I'm not going to just sit here and do nothing."

"Perhaps there is something we can do." He offered. "We know the location of the Organization home world and to the best of our knowledge that is where Axel will be taking Hinata."

"It will take Axel a few days to get back there from here." Riku pointed out. "There's no telling what could happen to Hinata before they get there."

"I believe you are underestimating how well Hinata can take care of herself." DiZ reminded him.

"She doesn't have any of her weapons with her and she's out of magic." He told him, feeling a knot forming in his already troubled stomach. "There is no way she can defend herself against him or anything they run into." He brought his free hand to his face and lamented, "I shouldn't have taken her here. This was a mistake."

"There is no time for remorse. What is done is done," DiZ replied. "I suggest going to the hospital with the others and seeing if they can aid you in tracking Hinata down. If she is still in their galaxy there may be other ways to track her."

Slowly nodding, he agreed, "Alright…" He cut the call and stared at the blank communications device. Tightening his hand around it, he whispered, "Don't worry Hinata, I'll find you. I promise." He placed the device in his pocket and numbly turned back towards the market so he could find his way to the hospital.

Back at the Benbo Inn, the ambulance was just arriving. A long red and white hover-car raced towards the front of the Inn, with bright lights flashing and a blaring alarm whirring. It screeched to a halt in front of Jim and Sam and the back of the car burst open as paramedics raced out to retrieve Sam.

Jim released Sam, who was still unconscious, and allowed the medics to place her on a stretcher. He stood as they picked her up and watched as they put her on oxygen and gave her an emergency IV. As they put her inside the ambulance, Jim ran forward.

"Can I ride with her?" He quickly asked one of the nurses.

Without even glancing at him, she motioned her head towards the inside of the ambulance and Jim immediately climbed inside. He sat in a seat beside Sam in the cramped area. She lay on a long white bed, strapped down so she wouldn't move as the car drove back to the hospital. Medical equipment was hung along the metal walls with thin walkways on either side so the medics could move around. He held her uninjured hand as the ambulance drove away and didn't take his eyes off her face.

The medics frantically worked all around him as they did their best to sanitize and clean Sam's burns. Many of them spoke to each other in an alien language Jim didn't understand while they examined Sam's wounds. Hearing their tone, Jim couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his heart that whatever they were saying wasn't good.

A quiet groan from Sam caught all of their attention as she slowly began to wake up again. Before she was fully awake, a nurse came over and prodded her with a needle full of some sort of serum.

She noticed the confused look Jim gave her and explained, "It will help with the pain."

Jim nodded and looked back at Sam as her eyes slowly fluttered open. It took her a moment to realize where she was. Her turquoise eyes quickly darted around the ambulance and the bedside machine monitoring her heart rate spiked as saw that she was surrounded by strangers. She tried to talk, but the oxygen mask around her mouth kept her from doing so and the thick straps tying her to the bed kept her from moving. Her eyes widened with fear until Jim grabbed her shoulders and got her attention.

"Sam!" Jim called her name, making her look straight at him. Her heart rate was still elevated, but her eyes began to calm as she realized Jim was there with her. "You're alright," He told her. "You're in the ambulance on the way to the hospital."

One of the medics came over and removed her oxygen mask, letting her breath freely. "We found you unconscious and your heart rate was low," The feline-alien explained. "We provided you with oxygen to aid in getting you awake again."

Sam quickly nodded, not saying anything in return. She reached her hand up and grabbed Jim's hand from her shoulder, giving him a tight squeeze. "How long was I out?" She asked him.

"Almost ten minutes," he told her. "You passed out when Riku was healing you." He stared at her for a moment as she looked around the ambulance.

"Where is Riku?" She asked him.

"He left to look for Hinata. Axel took her."

Sam whipped her head towards Jim. "What? She's gone?"

"We're going to find her." Jim assured her. "I promise."

She tried to reply, but tears welled up in her eyes. Blinking them back she inhaled sharply. "Dammit…" She whispered under her breath.

"Sam is your name, correct?" Another one of the medics approached them, holding a clipboard in one of his four hands. When Sam nodded, he told her, "We'll need to ask you a few questions before we check you into the hospital."

He sat down beside Jim on the small bench beside Sam's bed and began asking her background questions. Sam answered them to the best of her knowledge, occasionally crying when she would think about what was happening or where Hinata was. Within fifteen minutes they arrived at the large hospital. The ambulance came to a stop under a tall stone tunnel and a bright light blinded the back of the ambulance as the back doors were opened up. New doctors came forward and wheeled Sam's bed out of the vehicle. She worriedly looked back at Jim as they pushed her away. He tried to keep up with them as he ran behind, following them from the brightly lit tunnel through the long glass doors leading inside. The dull plain hospital hall they entered was filled to the brim with patients and different doctors running from room to room. Sam was wheeled through the winding corridors in a hurry as the doctors were quickly explaining to her that she had to go in for emergency surgery.

"Surgery?" She asked with panic in her voice. She looked down at her burned arm but it was wrapped up in dry bandages. The entire side of her body where her arm was burned was completely numb; it only tingled when she attempted to move it.

Jim hurriedly followed behind, trying to keep Sam in his sight, but was suddenly stopped when the feline medic from before placed her hand in front of him.

"I'm sorry but only doctors and patients are allowed beyond this point." She told him.

"Jim!" Sam yelled back towards them when she realized he wasn't coming with her.

"Let me talk to her for a minute at least." Jim tried to reason with the medic.

She glanced back at the other doctors that had momentarily stopped wheeling Sam away when she yelled. When one of the elderly doctors nodded his approval she gave Jim the go-ahead.

Jim ran passed her and up to Sam. Placing one of his hands along her cheek, he leaned down and gave her a reassuring kiss on her lips. "You're going to be alright."

"I don't want to go without you." She told him honestly, with a cry in her voice. "I don't even know what's going on. Why do I need surgery? What's going to happen to me?"

"Your burn is extremely severe and may be infected," The feline-medic explained, making both Jim and Sam look up at her. "We need to remove the dead skin and try to eliminate any bacteria before it spreads."

"Before it spreads?" Jim asked. "What does that mean? You mean she could…" His voice trailed off and he glanced back at Sam. He could see the pleading look in her eyes, begging him not to let her go; but they both knew he didn't have a choice.

"We need to hurry," The feline told him.

He grabbed Sam's hand and squeezed it. "I'm going to be right out here. It's going to be alright." He kissed her forehead.

As he kissed her, Sam whispered only loud enough so he could hear her. "Whatever happens, I want you to know… I love you."

Jim's cheeks flushed and his eyes widened. He stood back up straight and tried to find his words; but before he could reply the doctors wheeled her away. The large metal doors leading to the employee's only area shut in front of him; separating him from Sam. Only then did he find his voice again. "I-I love you too." He whispered back much too late.

He stared at the door in silence occasionally being accidentally shoved by different doctors as they did their jobs. After a couple minutes one of the workers came to him and told him he needed to go to the waiting room. He numbly nodded and dragged his feet towards the nearest one. As he walked into the large room filled with couches and chairs, he saw that he wasn't the only one there. He looked up and saw Riku leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and James pacing back and forth around the room. They both looked over when Jim entered the room.

James slowed his pacing to a halt and asked, "Well? How is she?"

Jim looked at both of them anxiously awaiting his response. "She's…" His voice came out weak and unsure. "She's been taken to surgery. Her burn might have gotten infected."

"How?" Riku asked, pushing himself off the wall.

Jim shook his head, "I don't know. Some dirt might have gotten into it or something in the air…" Shaking his head he looked away and felt angry tears sting the corners of his eyes. "This whole thing is just messed up. Today wasn't supposed to go like this."

"She's going to be alright though, right?" James asked. "I mean, it's just in her arm, isn't it?"

"I… I don't know." He answered. He looked back at James, his eyes reddened. "I have no idea what's going to happen." He let out a short bitter laugh. "I mean, I told her everything was going to be fine but what do I know? For all I know that could have been the last time I'll ever see her."

James's eyes widened. "What?!" he exclaimed. "You mean she might die?"

"There's no reason to think that's going to happen." Riku spoke up. "If the infection's only in her arm they could just amputate it, couldn't they?"

"Just amputate it?" James turned towards him with a glare. "You do realize you're talking about my sister right?"

"Would you rather the infection spread to her heart and let her die?" Riku asked in return.

"I'd rather that none of this ever happened!" He yelled. "Why the hell did you call Hinata for help against that guy anyway? You knew she was what he was after. None of this would have happened…"

"You really think I'm that stupid?" Riku interrupted him, his own volume rising. "I told Ben not to call but he did it anyways. If you want to blame someone, it's him not me."

"It doesn't matter who's fault it is, alright?" Jim spoke up, trying to ease their tension.

"Like hell it doesn't!" James objected. "If it wasn't for that piece of shit robot none of this would even be happening right now! Hinata wouldn't be missing and Sam wouldn't be in surgery literally fighting for her life!"

"I get it!" Jim assured him. "But Ben just did what he thought was right. None of us expected what happened to happen."

James went silent as he scowled and turned away. He walked towards a tall window and absently stared out, letting the warm sun reflect on his hardened face. Jim rubbed the back of his neck and looked around the bare room. Thinly cushioned chairs lined the walls of the dimmed room. A long table sat in the middle of the room with stacks of holographic children's books and various magazines. The three of them were the only ones in the room, staying silent as the tension and uneasiness steadily rose.

Jim looked towards Riku, who went back to leaning against the wall and attempted to change the subject. "Any news on Hinata?"

He half-glanced up at Jim before looking back at his feet and explaining. "There isn't any way for me to track her. Unless we figure something out, our best bet will be to infiltrate the Organization home world in a few days."

"Why a few days?" Jim asked, trying to keep his mind off of Sam. "Why not now?"

"It's going to take Axel a few days to get back." Riku explained. He looked up at Jim and noticed James glancing towards him from the window. "Corridors of Darkness can only get him so far. He has to make multiple trips and make sure he rests in between each time to regain the magic."

"So him and Hinata could still be in our galaxy right now?" James asked, turning away from the window.

"Yeah, but there's no way to know where." Riku replied.

"Why not?" James asked crossing his arms. "You found Hinata here the same day the galactic border when down."

"That was different…" Riku began to explain.

"You're actually alright with letting her be with that guy for a few days?" James asked.

"Does it look like I have much of a choice?" Riku retorted. "Trust me, if I had any way of tracking her I wouldn't be wasting my time here."

"But you had to make those portals to get here the first time, didn't you?" James pointed out. When Riku nodded, he asked, "Well can't you guess approximately how far that guy is able to make his portal?"

"We can map out different places he could go and try checking those planets." Jim added, catching on to James's idea.

"Even if we get lucky and choose the same planet they're on, there's still no way to know where on the planet they are." Riku replied.

"Maybe there is a way." Jim replied, trying to think it over. Walking further into the room he sat down on one of the chairs and continued. "You both have those silver devices on you, right? Maybe there's a way to calibrate yours so we can locate hers."

"And it would lead us right to her!" James finished. He pointed towards Jim, "He has a point. Sam's fantastic at reworking electronics, just bring it to the shop and…" His voice trailed off as he suddenly remembered where they were. Slowly turning back towards the window he mumbled, "Never mind."

"I could probably do it." Jim proposed, standing up and reaching out his hand towards Riku. "Can I see your device?"

Reaching into his pocket, Riku pulled out the silver device and handed it over to Jim. Taking it into his palm, Jim studied the small machine and sat back down in the seat. Riku leaned back against the wall, feeling another wave of heat and subsequent cold wash over him. Leaning the inside of his elbow over his mouth he coughed into it, wincing as his throat stung in response.

"Wait, you have a fever, don't you?" James asked, glancing over at him. "Shouldn't you be sitting down or something?"

Riku was silent for a moment, before assuring him. "I'm fine."

James scoffed and looked away, "Fine, forget I cared."

The three of them fell to a tense silence. Jim slowly began taking apart Riku's communication device, trying to keep himself busy; while Riku and James were lost in their thoughts, staring absently into space. A couple hours passed without a word being said between them. The only sound was that of the hospital; medical equipment beeping and monitoring heartrates throughout the many rooms and doctors rushing from room to room to check on their multiple patients.

"How long is the surgery supposed to take?" James asked, finally turning around from the window. "It's been hours."

"The burn was severe and possibly infected." Riku reminded him, "It's going to take a while." He looked towards Jim, "How is it coming along?"

"Not as well as I had hoped." Jim confessed. "There are a lot of gears in this thing that I've never seen before. I'm having a hard time figuring out how it works."

James shook his head, "Some help you are."

Jim glared up at him, "I'm doing the best I can."

"We'll figure something out," Riku cut in before things escalated.

"H-hello?" Clarisse's soft voice caught their attention as she walked into the waiting room. She went straight to James, side-glancing at Riku as she passed him. Once in front of James she explained, "I did as you requested and alerted my people to be on the lookout for Miss Hinata."

"How will that help?" Riku asked.

Barely glancing at him, she explained. "My people are spread throughout this entire galaxy on pilgrimage and as Mr. Ainsworth requested I sent all of them a mass message telling them to contact me immediately if they see Miss Hinata."

"Thank you Clarisse." James forced a small smile. "Every little bit helps."

"Has there been any news?" She asked him. "Where is Miss Ainsworth?"

"Surgery," James explained.

Her golden eyes widened, "Oh my, I hope she's alright."

"Where is Ben?" Riku asked her.

She finally turned and looked over at him, "I'm not sure; he left the shop shortly after you, speaking something about an idea he had come up with."

"Let's hope it's better than his last one." James snidely remarked.

"What do you mean?" Clarisse asked.

James slightly frowned, unsure how to explain it. Before he could speak; the same feline-medic from earlier walked into the waiting room. Jim immediately recognized her and stood up.

"Any news?" He asked her.

The others turned towards the medic, giving her their undivided attention. Letting out a breath, she told them, "The surgery was a success. Miss Ainsworth is resting in her hospital room."

James let out a sigh of relief and grinned. "You mean she's alright?" He reached over his arm and lightly shoved Jim with a thankful laugh, "She made it."

Jim couldn't help but chuckle in return, feeling a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

"However, there is something you should know before you see her." The medic added. Her black pointed ears lowered against her head as they fell silent and expectantly stared at her. "We… unfortunately were unable to stop the infection in her forearm and we were forced to remove it completely."

The once smiling faces paled and uneasiness set into the room once again.

"H-how much is gone?" Jim asked, the only one able to find his voice.

"We cut an inch above her left elbow, amputating the joint and her entire forearm." She slowly explained. "When she wakes she is going to need someone she knows there to explain what happened. She is unaware that we had to remove anything."

James turned around and placed his hands on his hips while letting out a long breath. He desperately tried to wrap his mind around what he was hearing.

"What are her options?" Jim asked. "Is there anything we can do to get her a new arm? Something mechanical or anything like that?"

"A robotic arm is possible." She nodded her head. "However, such a device costs a fortune. It may be best to adjust her lifestyle to living with one arm; however the decision will be completely up to her."

"Alright," Jim nodded, trying to remain collected. "Can you take us to her?"

She nodded and looked at the entire group, "Just the three of you?"

Clarisse looked around in confusion as she quickly recounted. "Four, actually." She corrected her.

"Four?" She asked as she looked them over again. Her eyes fell on Riku in his black coat and she slightly jumped, "Oh, I didn't even notice you there." Her eyes narrowed as her pointy nose twitched and she told him, "I'm sorry; but you will not be allowed into the patient's room."

"Why not?" he asked her.

"You have a high-fever." She replied. Her feline nose twitched as if she could smell the stench of sickness on him. "We have an open room down the hall. I will have one of my colleagues admit you."

"I'm fine." He assured her, unable to keep himself from coughing on the last word.

"Either you stay here as a patient or you will be forced to leave." She told him sternly. "I will not have you infecting other patients. You should not have been allowed in here in the first place."

He scowled and was about to turn to leave, but glanced over at Jim, seeing the worried look in his face. He knew Sam might need more of his magic during her stay in the hospital and with everything going on, it was best for all of them to stick together. Letting out a long breath, he resigned, "Alright, I'll stay here as a patient."

"Good," She smiled at his resignation and turned back to the others, "Now then, please follow me."

"I'll head back to the shop," Clarisse whispered to James. "It isn't really my place to be here. I'll be sure to contact you if I hear anything about Miss Hinata."

James tried to tell her his thanks, but couldn't find the words. He resolved to a simple nod, before turning to follow Jim and the feline medic down the hall. He scarcely registered the multitude of hospital rooms they passed and all the doctors swarming around them. His eyes stayed glued to the feline's back as she led the way to Sam's room.

The medic came to a stop in front of a plain door. "She is right in here." She told them as she slowly opened the door.

Jim numbly walked into the small room with James close behind. He barely heard the medic tell them she would be back to check on them before she closed the door, leaving them inside the dreary room. Sam lay unconscious on a long white hospital bed. Her stubbed arm was wrapped with thick white bandages, with spots of blood seeping through the end. The rest of her lay peacefully unaware to everything that had just occurred. Without saying anything, Jim walked to the other side of the bed where her right arm lay and gently grabbed her hand. He looked up and saw James still standing at the entrance to the room, his eyes filled with tears and his face contorted with a full range of emotion.

"J-Jim?" Sam's voice weakly broke the deafening silence in the room.

He looked down at her, seeing her clouded turquoise eyes looking up at him. Despite everything happening he let out a small laugh. "Hey," He greeted her with a sweet smile. "Welcome back."

He watched as her eyes sluggishly looked around the room; her senses gradually coming back to her. James was too far away for her to make out or even recognize that there was someone else in the room. "W-where am I?" She asked him, her voice barely over a whisper.

"You're in a hospital room." He told her, "You just finished surgery a while ago."

A sleepy disjointed smile appeared on her face. "So I'm all better?"

Jim shot a glance towards her other arm. "Not quite…" He told her, before looking back at her eyes. "But you made it through the surgery."

She gave him a confused look, "Jim… what's wrong?"

He opened his mouth to answer her, but the words didn't come out. He looked back up at James across the room. They stared at each other in silence, wondering how to break the news to her. Somehow they had to tell her what had happened and be prepared for her reaction. No matter how severe it was going to be.


	24. Helpless

Chapter 24

Hinata fell to the ground in the Corridor of Darkness once Axel released her wrist. She barely held herself up with her shaking arms, desperately trying to catch her breath. A sick feeling surrounded her heart as darkness swirled around her. Axel stood beside her with his arms crossed.

"W-why did you do that?" Hinata breathed out, forcing her tired eyes to glance up at him. "I… I said I would come with you."

He avoided her gaze, "You said you were coming, but it didn't seem like that boyfriend of yours was planning on giving you up any time soon; so I took matters into my own hands."

"B-but your fire…" Her voice broke. "There's no way that didn't hurt anyone… Sam, Jim… Riku… what happened to them?" Turning her gaze back to the ground she cried. "Who are you? You aren't the Lea I remember…"

Letting out a small scoff, he rolled his eyes. "Oh please, I don't know how many times I have to tell you..." He reached down and grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. "Lea's long gone."

Hinata didn't reply. She kept her eyes downcast at the smoky ground as Axel pulled her forward; trying to keep her thoughts from everything that was happening. She dragged her feet, still feeling the effects of her magic completely emptying from her body. The Corridor was eerily silent, only the soft sounds of their footsteps echoed around them. The bright light leading to the new world shined in their faces once they finally reached it, making them shield their eyes. A warm air surrounded them the moment they appeared out of the portal and a sweet scent filled their senses. Hinata reluctantly opened her eyes to see that they stood in the middle of a vast field of yellow flowers. The plain went on as far as they could see in every direction. Only a blue cloudless sky and an endless field of bell shaped flowers.

"Where are we?" Hinata asked him with a weak voice.

Axel released her arm and rubbed his hands together in front of him. "Kinapis." He replied. "The first of three stops we're going to have to make."

"Kinapis?" She repeated. "But this planet is right by Montressor. Why didn't you travel to a world farther away?"

"Not often you hear someone questioning their kidnapper's methods." He pointed out before asking. "You think I had the energy to get out of the galaxy after that attack?"

She accepted his answer and slowly sat on the ground, letting her wobbling legs rest. Reaching out her hand she grazed her fingertips along the petals of a flower in front of her. "How long until we leave?"

"A couple hours." He replied, still standing beside her as he scanned their surroundings.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked.

"You'll see." He simply told her.

Hinata looked up at him, wanting to press him further; but instead she solemnly nodded and looked back to the flowers. They remained silent, not sure what to say to each other. Over thirty minutes passed before Axel spoke up.

"Well what do you know? There are Heartless here too." He chuckled. "They're everywhere aren't they?"

"There are?" Hinata asked, scrambling to her feet. She slightly stumbled as she stood as her muscles slowly regained strength. Turning around, she scanned the flowers. "Where are they?"

He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Pointing forward he told her, "See the antennas?"

Sure enough, several feet in front of them were Shadow Heartless grazing the field. The flowers stood taller than them, only allowing the tops of their round heads and their black straggly antennas to poke above.

"They aren't attacking…" Hinata noted.

"I doubt they even know we're here." He replied. Putting his hands down at his sides he summoned his fire chakras. "But soon they will."

He was about to step forward to take care of them, but Hinata grabbed his arm. "Don't set the field on fire."

He glanced back at her, "What worried I'll disturb ole' Mother Nature? Since when do you care about that?"

"Just don't," She told him.

With a smirk he stabbed one of his weapons into the dirt and snapped his fingers. Instantly all of the Shadow Heartless burst into flames, evaporating in seconds. Hinata gasped as the flowers caught aflame and began burning into a crisp. She sent Axel a scowl before reaching out her hand and closing her eyes. From her hand appeared a spiral of water, it swooped towards the flames, sizzling them out of existence, only leaving the charcoaled remains of the large patch of flowers.

Sensing the flames were gone, she placed her hand back to her side, allowing the water to fall to the ground. She let out a breath as her new reserves of magic fled her body, feeling her knees shake.

Leaning her hands on her legs, she regained her breath and scolded, "What is wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me?" He asked. "I took care of them didn't I?"

She stood back up straight and glared at him. "Yeah, by doing the exact opposite of what I asked you to do! You could have set the whole field on fire!"

"I could've made the fire go out whenever I wanted." He pointed out. "Besides, when did you get the idea that I take orders from you?"

"Why are you being like this?" She asked him. "I missed the moment where we stopped being friends. When did you decide your old friends didn't matter anymore?"

"Gee I don't know, somewhere during the nine years you were gone?" He shrugged nonchalantly, but his voice had a tinge of annoyance in it. "I'm just following orders. I don't do that whole friend thing anymore."

"So what exactly does that make Roxas and Xion then?" she asked, noticing the slight frown that appeared on his face when she mentioned their names. "I see you up on that clock tower with them eating ice cream almost every sunset."

He was silent for a moment before scoffing, "Didn't realize you were spying on me."

She shook her head and looked away, realizing he wasn't going to answer her seriously. They fell back to silence for a few minutes, before she looked back at him and spoke up.

"Axel…" She said, getting his attention when she said his new name. "Why are you even a part of the Organization? You were just as horrified as I was about the Heartless we found in the lab back home. Why would you join Xehanort after seeing all that?" When Axel only looked away and didn't reply, she told him. "We're going to be travelling together for a while. I don't know where you're taking me or what the Organization is planning to do with me. The least you could do is answer my questions."

His eyes stared out at the endless field around them; his usual smirk was replaced with a hard to read expression. "Remember Master's promise?" He finally spoke up.

Hinata looked at him slightly confused, "His promise?" She asked.

"Yeah," He finally looked at her. "When he told us about the Organization at the beginning of our class one day; he said…"

"If we joined the Organization he would give us a purpose." She finished, remembering his words.

He nodded and went back to staring out at the field. "Exactly; a chance to change the universe."

"By letting Heartless cover worlds in darkness and letting Nobodies roam free?" She asked. "You do realize that's what you're helping him do, right?"

"It's still a purpose. Plus I fight Heartless too you know." He reminded her. "We all do."

"Then why was he creating them?" She asked. "Why create them only to destroy them?"

He let out a long breath, "Why do you ask so many questions?"

"Why do you give such vague answers?" She countered. "And thinking about it, why did you have to die to become part of the Organization? Why make you a Nobody? What is accomplished by doing that?"

He frowned, not even attempting to hide the exasperation in his expression. "We're just Nobodies with no one to be… yet we still are. Who knows why Xemnas made us this way? I'm sure he had his reasons."

"You're alright with being his pawn?" She asked. "You don't even know why he has you doing the things he wants you to do. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Enough with the questions, alright?" He rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, I forgot how annoying you can be."

Her mouth fell open as she was suddenly lost for words. "Annoying?" She repeated. "Since when did you…" Her voice cut short when Axel sent her a warning glare. She cleared her throat, "Alright, fine. I'll leave you alone."

"Thank goodness," He whispered under his breath, catching the scowl Hinata sent him.

They fell back to silence and Hinata knelt to the ground. As she sat she felt around her right pocket, tracing the shape of her communicator with her fingertips. She resisted the urge to pull it out right then to call Riku or DiZ to let them know where she was. If Axel caught sight of it he would no doubt destroy it. She took a deep breath and looked around at the flowers surrounding them.

"Ready to get moving?" Axel interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up to see him already summoning a Corridor. Her heart jumped as the thought crossed her mind that he was getting her one step closer to wherever he was taking her; only two more stops after this. Taking a shaking breath, she reluctantly got to her feet.

"After you," He told her, motioning his hand towards the pulsing portal.

Taking one last look at the bright world around them, she slowly walked into the black Corridor, disappearing from sight.

…

Back on Montressor, Riku lay quietly on the hospital bed. A soft methodical beeping from the machine monitoring his vitals was the only sound in the room. The walls were a dreary color in his small personal room. A couple wooden chairs were against the wall, another one beside his bed in case someone came to visit. Riku drifted in and out of sleep, feeling the effects of all the medicine that was being pumped into him from the I.V injected in his wrist. He wasn't sure exactly how long he had been there or where anyone else was.

Slowly opening his eyes from a restless sleep, he turned to look at the large window pouring pale light into the room. He was taken aback when he saw Hinata standing there, staring out the window with a concerned expression on her face. Without saying anything, he looked her over, feeling as if it was the first time he had seen her in years. Her hair looked longer than he remembered, falling freely to her waist. She wore his favorite blue shirt and to his surprise, a black skirt that hugged her hips and fell right above her knees.

Noticing his stare, Hinata turned her gaze towards him and her concerned expression changed into a relieved smile. "Good, you're up." She softly greeted him.

He smiled back without replying.

Letting out a sigh, she complained, "I wish you weren't so stubborn. You need to be taking better care of yourself. You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard when you knew you were sick."

"You're so beautiful." He finally spoke up, completely disregarding everything she was saying.

She was caught off guard by his compliment as her cheeks blushed and she scolded him "Don't change the subject." When he only smiled In return, she chuckled and walked over to the side of his bed. "I'm just thankful you're getting some rest finally. You really had me worried."

He chuckled in response, "You're one to talk." Holding out his hand towards her, he continued, "I'm so relieved to see you're safe." He grasped her hand but frowned when he went straight through her. "What?" He looked up at her to see that she was slowly becoming translucent.

"Riku?" James's voice caught his attention and he turned around from Hinata to see him standing by the door of the room. "Who are you talking to?"

Riku turned back towards the window to see that Hinata was no longer there and his heart sank. "No one…" He muttered. "My mind is playing tricks on me."

"Yeah the meds they give you here can do that to you. Plus being as sick as you are doesn't help." James told him, walking a few steps further into the room. "I uh, just wanted to see how you were doing." He noticed the confused look Riku gave him and explained. "Just 'cause we don't get along, doesn't mean I don't care."

Riku slowly nodded and thought about it for a moment, before telling him. "I've been better. I wish I wasn't stuck here."

James let out a breathy laugh, "Yeah I get that. But I know Hinata would rather you be here getting better than pushing yourself when you're as sick as you are."

They were silent for a moment, before Riku asked, "How's Sam?"

Taking a deep breath, he explained. "She's… she'll be alright. She's strong."

"How did she take it?"

"You mean her left arm being gone?" James asked with a slight bitterness, before explaining. "She reacted like any normal person would… she flipped out. I had to hold her down while a doctor sedated her… she's been in and out of consciousness for a few hours now and hasn't stayed awake for more than a few minutes at a time. We haven't really had a chance to fully explain what happened." He motioned his head towards the door, "Jim's in there with her right now. He's still trying to figure out your communications device."

Riku nodded in response, thinking over everything that had happened that day. Inhaling deeply, he spoke up. "I'm… sorry about earlier when I came by your shop. I overreacted."

James looked at him with surprise before scoffing, "Man you're confusing. I can't figure you out. One minute you're super calm and the next you're angry about something." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "But don't worry about it. I know you're just worried about Hinata… I'm worried about her too."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. They both looked at the entrance as Amelia and Doppler entered the room. Relieved smiles appeared on their faces once they saw Riku.

"Thank goodness you're safe." Doppler told him.

Jack floated in behind them and immediately floated towards Riku. He whimpered, seeing him in the hospital bed. Giving him a small lick on his cheek he landed on his lap and snuggled into him.

Riku ran his hand along Jack's back and gave a small half-smile in return as Amelia explained why they were there. "Sarah called to let us know what happened; so we found someone to watch the children and came as fast as we could." She walked to Riku's bedside. "Do you have any news on Hinata?"

He solemnly shook his head. "No… we don't know where she is."

"Do you know where this Axel fellow is taking her?" Doppler asked.

"We're thinking he's taking her to the Organization home world, but even that is just a guess." He replied.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Amelia asked.

James stepped forward, "Actually, Jim has been trying to rework Riku's communications device. He's hoping he can rewire it so we can track Hinata's device."

Amelia turned towards James with intrigue. "That may be possible."

"He hasn't had any luck with it yet." James told her.

"If anyone is capable of figuring it out, it's Jim." Doppler assured him.

"Still, he may require assistance." Amelia added. "Can you take me to him?"

"Yeah; he's in Sam's room right now." He looked towards Riku and gave him a small nod before turning to leave the room.

"We'll be sure to let you know the moment we find anything." Doppler assured Riku before turning to follow Amelia and James out of the room.

"Alright," Riku nodded, feeling the lurch in his heart that he wasn't able to help.

Doppler closed the door to Riku's room behind him as he entered the hall of the hospital. James quietly led the way through the busy halls.

"How is Sam faring?" Amelia asked as they walked.

"She's sleeping right now." James told her. "She doesn't really know how to react to her arm being gone… none of us do."

"It is a lot to take in all at once." Doppler added. "Has anyone told the rest of your family about what happened?"

"It's just my mom back at home." James replied. He paused for a moment, before explaining. "I haven't told her yet… I don't know how she'll respond. With how she reacted after dad… I'm a little worried."

"James," Amelia stopped walking and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I understand the weight of the situation; but she is your mother. No matter the consequences she deserves to know what has happened to her daughter. I know that more than ever after having children of my own."

James was silent for a moment, his eyes downcast. Taking a deep breath he reluctantly nodded, "You're right." He looked up and pointed towards a door down the hall. "Sam's in that room. Jim should be in there too."

"Thank you." Amelia took back her hand and moved aside to allow James to walk passed her. She and Doppler watched as he walked away towards the exit of the hospital.

"This is certainly not the way any of us expected Christmas to go." Doppler whispered.

Amelia slowly nodded, "Yes, quite. It is barely the afternoon and their lives have been turned upside down."

"I am concerned for Hinata." Doppler confessed.

"As am I." She agreed, letting out a rare sigh. "That is why we must do everything in our power to get her back."

"We will." Doppler assured her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She placed her hand over his before walking forward towards the room James had pointed to before he left. Opening the door, they entered the room, feeling the uneasiness in the air. Jim sat at a small round table a few feet from Sam's bed with Sarah sitting across from him. He meticulously worked with the tiny gears and pieces of the communications device that was spread across the table while Sarah silently watched him. They both looked up when they heard the door open.

Doppler came forward to Sarah and placed his hand on her shoulder. "How are you doing?"

Sarah shook her head. "I'm having trouble taking everything in. I'm just thankful Jim is safe." She reached over and lightly placed her hand over her son's.

He glanced at his mom as she touched his hand and tried to strain a smile.

"And how are you doing Jim?" Doppler turned his attention to him.

He shook his head, "Trying to keep myself busy and figure this device out."

"I thought I could be of some use with that." Amelia spoke up, walking up to them. "I might be able to offer some expertise."

Jim motioned his head towards an empty chair and Amelia immediately grabbed it and sat down at the table. Doppler turned away and walked up to Sam's bedside. She lay fast asleep in the bed with various machines monitoring vitals and medicine intake. Doppler glanced down at her severed arm, feeling his stomach twist.

"How did she react to the news?" He asked with a low quiet voice.

Letting out a long breath, Jim struggled to retell the events. "She tried to stay calm but the moment she saw it she lost it." He paused for a moment and looked over at Sam. "It got so bad that James had to hold her down while I got a doctor. They ended up having to sedate her… She hasn't been awake much since."

Clearing her throat, Amelia spoke up. "In my many years in the Interstellar Academy and being a captain I have seen many cases of crew members and dear friends losing limbs. As unlikely as it may seem, her reaction was completely normal."

Jim scoffed as he turned his attention back to the device, "Well it sure would have been nice if one of the doctors warned us it might happen." His eyes down-casted, "It was awful seeing her like that."

"I understand it must have been hard." She told him, "However, when she does awake she is going to need all of our support… especially yours Jim."

He slowly nodded, "Yeah, I know."

Their conversation fell into a lull. Doppler paced around the room as Jim and Amelia continued to work with the communications device. Ever so often a sentence or two would be exchanged between them as they brainstormed how it worked. Periodically a doctor would enter the room to check on Sam's condition before leaving the room once again. After a couple hours the door opened and James entered the room. He quietly closed the door behind him, giving a small nod to everyone as they looked up towards him.

Doppler walked towards him and whispered, "How did your mother take the news?"

James let out a long breath and shook his head. "She didn't say much; but I didn't expect her too. She did ask me to keep her updated though."

"You did the right thing." Doppler assured him.

"Thanks," He half-smiled and walked past Doppler to go up to Sam's bed. "Any change?"

"The doctor mentioned that the sedation should be wearing off any time now." Sarah told him.

He nodded, "Alright…" He grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the bedside Sitting down he looked over his sister. His eyes lingered on her left arm, or what was left of it. "How could this happen?" He whispered under his breath.

The room fell back to silence. James leaned back in his chair, staring out the window across from Sam's bed while everyone else went back to what they were doing before he came in. Minutes passed before Sam slowly began to stir. She slowly opened her heavy eyes, squinting when the light from the window shined in her face. Everything around her was blurry but she could hear muffled sounds, letting her know that other people were in the room. As her vision gradually cleared, she turned her head and saw James sitting beside her; he had yet to notice her up. His expression was conflicted, mixed between sadness, anger, and worry. She heard Jim's quiet voice across the room and turned her gaze towards the sound, seeing him sitting at a table with his mom and Amelia. He was asking Amelia something about the metal pieces that were spread across the table.

Sam realized they were all there for her, waiting for her to wake up. Ever so slowly her memory and thoughts began to piece together. A short flashback of screaming and then being sedated flew through her mind but she quickly shook it away. Despite her ignoring the memory, her heart rate spiked. The monitor beside her began to rapidly beep getting everyone's attention.

Within seconds Jim was at her bedside. He grabbed her hand and smiled when their eyes met. "Hey," He greeted her. "You're finally awake."

Sam looked up at him confused, her thoughts and memories were still piecing together. She glanced over and saw James standing on the other side of her with a relieved smile on his face as well. That was when her left arm had a spike of pain. She winced and looked down at her arm, her eyes widening when she saw it was gone, despite it feeling as if her entire arm was hurting. Her heart rate spiked again as she stared at the stub that was once her arm until James grabbed her shoulders and got her attention.

"Sam, it's alright." He told her, making sure their eyes were locked. "You're alive. That's what matters. You're going to get through this."

She stared at him, her heart pounding. She could see the serious look in his eyes as he stared back at her.

"You're strong Sam." He continued, seeing he had her attention. "I know this is a lot to take in, but the sooner you accept it the better."

They looked at each other in a tense silence as Sam's heartrate gradually went back to normal. She shortly nodded her head and took a deep breath with her eyes closed. Jim squeezed her hand in support and she squeezed it back.

"You're right…" She whispered in reply. Her voice was weak and coarse. As James reluctantly released her shoulders, she slowly reopened her eyes and looked over at Jim. "What are you working on?"

He gave her a slightly confused look, "You don't want to talk about what happened?"

She shook her head, "Not right now… I don't want to think about it."

"Oh, yeah that makes sense." He cleared his throat and explained. "Amelia and I are trying to rework Riku's communication device."

"We're hoping we can reconfigure the device to aid us in tracking Hinata." Amelia added, standing from her seat.

"She's still missing?" Sam asked, feeling her heart sink when they only nodded in response. Inhaling deeply, she asked. "How is it going?"

"It's not," Jim sighed. "Almost everything inside of that thing isn't from this galaxy."

"We don't recognize any of the parts." Amelia explained. "We have been conjuring theories and trying various methods but nothing appears to be working."

Sam slowly nodded, thinking it over. After a few seconds she asked. "Is Ben around?"

"I don't think you want to see him." James told her.

"He might be able to help." Sam replied.

"How so?" Amelia asked, stepping forward.

"I don't really know how it works, but this guy from Hinata's galaxy is able to send things to Ben's mind; like schematics and stuff." She explained, her voice gradually regaining a normal tone.

"Who is he?" Jim asked.

"I think his name is DiZ." Sam tried to recall. "I've only talked with him once."

James nodded, "That's the guy Hinata and Riku work for." He looked at Jim and Amelia. "Do you guys remember how to put that communicator thing back together?"

"I do," Jim told him. "Why?"

"If you put it back together, we can use it to call that DiZ guy" He explained.

"Alright, I'll get working on it." Jim nodded, reluctantly letting go of Sam's hand and returning to the table.

"We'll need Ben too." Sam reminded him.

"Yeah…" James almost groaned. "I'll call Clarisse to see if she's seen him." He was about to turn to leave the room, when he asked Sam. "Will you be alright here?"

She half-smiled up at him. "I'll be alright. By the way… thanks."

"For what?" He asked.

"For what you said earlier." She told him. "I… probably would've been sedated again if you hadn't gotten ahold of me."

He gave her a warm smile and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I love you sis. I know you'll get through this."

She placed her hand over his. "I love you too."

He lightly squeezed her shoulder before turning around and leaving the room. Sam took a deep breath once the door closed behind him, desperately trying to keep her eyes from wandering to her left arm. She glanced over at Doppler who stood a few feet away, watching Jim and Amelia put the device back together.

"Uh… Doc?" She asked.

"Yes Sam?" Doppler turned towards her with a smile.

"Would you mind… getting a blanket over my arm?" She asked timidly.

"Ah not at all." He told her as he grabbed a blanket near the foot of her bed and pulled it up over her left shoulder.

Sam let out a breath of relief when it was covered. "Thank you." She told him.

"Of course," He smiled.

"Thank you for coming by the way." She told him. "I'm surprised you and Amelia are here to be honest."

"Well you are a dear friend to Hinata." He explained. "You mean quite a lot to her and therefor mean a lot to us."

"Hinata is really important to you two." Sam pointed out.

"Honestly we regard her as our own." Amelia joined the conversation. "She was only a part of our lives for a few months but felt like a daughter."

"Indeed," Doppler agreed with a small smile before he frowned, remembering they had no idea where Hinata was.

They were silent for a couple minutes before Sam asked, "I was wondering, where is Riku?"

"He's down the hall." Doppler told her.

"Oh… why isn't he in here?" She asked.

"He's in his own hospital room." Jim clarified. "His fever was borderline pneumonia so the doctors sort of forced him to let them admit him."

"Oh wow…" She whispered. "Is anyone in his room?"

"I believe Jack in in there." Amelia recalled. "Delbert and I were in there as well until we heard that Jim was working with the device. Then we came in here."

Sam nodded and looked up when the door opened. James walked in with the same feline medic from before. He stood aside as the medic went over to Sam and began doing various tests.

"It's good to see you calm and awake." She told Sam as she removed the blanket covering her left arm.

Sam quickly averted her gaze, forcing herself to focus on Jim across the room. She quickly nodded but didn't reply. Her heartrate spiked as the medic slowly began undressing her arm. Jim got out of his seat to go to her, but James beat him to it. James was at Sam's side, holding her hand.

"You're alright." He whispered to her, "Just look at me."

She reluctantly looked up at him, the look of uneasiness obvious in her gaze.

"Clarisse is looking for Ben and will bring him to the hospital." He told her, trying to keep her mind off the medic. "They should be here soon."

Sam shortly nodded, resisting the urge to look at her arm without the bandages; but given the worried glances James was giving it she forced herself to continue staring back at him. "H-how is Clarisse doing?" She asked, swallowing hard.

He averted his eyes from her arm back to her face. "Alright, she met Riku earlier."

"When?" She asked.

"When he came storming into the shop looking for Ben. It wasn't a good first impression."

Sam let out a small chuckle.

James smiled and added, "But, she actually stood up for me against Riku when he was being, uh, rough. It was odd seeing a different side of her."

"Odd enough to ask her out to dinner?" She teased.

"What?" He laughed, "No, not enough to ask her to dinner. I don't know what's with you and Hinata trying to get me to go out with her."

"Its true love, you just don't realize it yet." She told him.

He rolled his eyes, "Uh, yeah. I'm pretty sure it's not, but you go ahead and keep telling yourself that."

She giggled in response but winced when the medic began redressing her arm with new bandages.

"Well your arm does not appear to have any changes," The feline spoke up.

James looked over at her but Sam kept her gaze away.

"There doesn't seem to be any traces of infection." She continued. "We will have to continue monitor the healing process. If you need anything, be sure to let any of the doctors know."

"Thank you." James told her.

"Of course," She nodded and turned around to leave the room.

Once she was gone, Sam let out a relieved breath, "Thank you for distracting me."

"Yeah," James replied, He reached over and pulled the blanket back over her left shoulder.

"I think that's it." Jim jumped up from his seat, holding the device in his hand.

It was back in one piece and had a flashing green light along the top.

"Is that light supposed to be doing that?" Sam asked.

Jim turned the device over in his hands and noticed the green light. "Yeah, I wasn't sure about that. I put it back together exactly the way Riku gave it to me."

"I bet Riku would know." James suggested, holding out his hand. "I'll bring it to his room."

Jim nodded and handed him the device.

"I'll be right back." He told them, going once again for the door.

He glanced back right before he exited and saw Jim back at Sam's side giving her a small kiss. He expected his stomach to twist as it usually did when he saw them together, but instead he felt a slight relief that his sister had someone. Smiling to himself, he opened the door and left the room.

Once again back in the hall, he weaved his way through the doctors towards Riku's room. He lightly knocked on the door before opening it. Not hearing any response he slowly opened the door open to see Riku fast asleep with Jack snuggled in his lap. He considered leaving him in peace, but taking one look at the flashing light on the device he knew he had to wake him.

He walked further into the room and came up to his bedside. Reluctantly, he outstretched his hand to shake his shoulder but stopped short. He put his hand back down to his side and cleared his throat loudly. No response. Lifting his hand to his mouth he coughed as loud as he could, but still no response. Shaking his head, he tried to figure out how to wake him up.  
"Riku," He said aloud, somewhat softly before yelling. "Hey, Riku!"

Riku sleepily grumbled but didn't fully wake up.

Letting out a long breath, James told him, "Hey, Hinata's here."

"What?" Riku shot up, startling Jack from his lap.

"Good you're up." James got straight to business. "I've got something for you."

Riku looked over at James beside him with a confused look on his tired face. "Did you say Hinata was here?"

James sighed, "Well yeah, it was the only way to get you up." He crossed is arms. "You aren't easy to get up you know."

He shook his head, trying to wake up fully. "Whatever, what did you want?"

James held up the communications device. "Jim put your device back together, except now this green light is flashing."

Riku quickly grabbed it, "That means I have a missed call."

"From who?"

"One way to find out," Riku replied, pressing a small button beside the flashing light.

Within seconds a hologram of Hinata kneeling on the ground appeared in the center of the device.

James stepped forward, "Hinata!"

"Shut up," Riku scolded him with a harsh whisper, wanting to listen to the message.

Hinata let out an exasperated breath, "Of course the one time you miss my call is when I need you more than ever, I guess I should've called DiZ." Taking a sharp breath she quickly glanced around her. "I finally got alone so I could call… Some Heartless attacked and Axel is taking care of them." She let out a small laugh, "I think this is the first time I've ever been thankful for a Heartless." She looked around and continued, "I'm not exactly sure what planet I'm on, this is the second one Axel's taken me to."

She looked away again, as if checking to see if she was being followed. "I don't think Axel is taking me to the Organization home world. He said there is only one more planet to stop at before we reach the destination and I feel like I remember you telling me it took you a few days to get back from Montressor using Corridors. The thing is though, I don't know where else he could be taking me or why. And I can't figure out why the Organization wants me…" She paused for a moment, "Honestly Riku, I'm starting to get scared… I don't know how to get out of this… I don't have any of my weapons and I haven't been able to regain much stamina for my magic. And even if I did, Axel's just too powerful for me to take on with just magic."

She stared off as if she was thinking over everything. She was silent for a few seconds before looking back at the device in her hands. "I don't know if this thing is even still recording, but…" She whispered before sighing, "It helps me to talk with you… even if you can't hear me. I hope I get to see you again. I keep replaying that last few seconds before Axel took me… There's no way you, Sam, or Jim made it out of that without getting hurt. Maybe that's why you didn't answer… I don't know." She took a sharp breath and used her free hand to wipe her cheeks. "Dammit, I'm crying again…" She scolded herself under her breath.

"Hinata," Axel's voice could be faintly heard in the background.

Hinata gasped and turned around towards the sound while stuffing her device back in her pocket.

The image of her disappeared, leaving James and Riku staring at the blank device. An uneasiness rose in the air as they didn't move for several seconds.

"Please tell me Jim figured out how to track her." Riku finally spoke up with a quiet voice.

"Well…" James started. "Not exactly." He immediately noticed the frown on Riku's face and added, "But Sam woke up and has an idea. We're going to call DiZ and ask him to transfer some data to Ben that will help."

"I already talked to DiZ," Riku told him, his voice full of annoyance. "He said there was nothing he could do."

"Yeah, but you didn't have Ben with you at the time and…"

"This is pointless," Riku interrupted. "Hinata is out there lost on some unknown planet and I'm stuck here! I need to be out there looking for her." He stood up from the bed, ignoring the way his legs wobbled from his weight.

"And where exactly are you planning on going to look for her?" James asked him. "You said yourself you have no way to know where she is."

"It's better than just sitting here while she's out there scared for her life." Riku countered.

"Can you just think through this for one second?" James asked him. "You're so sick you have been having hallucinations, you're barely holding yourself up right now, and the moment you walk out that door every doctor is going to be ready to sedate you to force you back in here." He pointed towards the other room. "We are doing everything we can to find her. I know you want to help, but the way you are right now you'll only get in the way." When Riku didn't budge he shook his head, "Look… I get it. You want to be out there to save her and keep her from going through this. That's how I'm feeling about Sam right now… and with Hinata. But there are times where you just can't do anything. It's not your fault, but you just have to deal with it and accept that's the way it is. When we do find a way to track her, we might need you to get us there and you won't be able to if you're still sick."

A knock on the door interrupted them and Clarisse meekly opened the door, "Mr. Ainsworth?" She quietly spoke, "I brought Ben like you asked. He is in the other room with your sister and he brought along a glowing crystal."

James nodded, "Thank you Clarisse, I'll be right there."

"Yes of course," She left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Ben has the crystal from Atlantis with him?" Riku asked once she was gone. "Why would he bring that?"

"Who knows with him?" Turning back to Riku, James held out his hand. "Can I have the device? We'll need it to call DiZ."

Riku looked at the device in his hand and slowly handed it over to him.

As James took it, he assured him. "We're going to find her, I promise."

Riku nodded in response and watched as James left the room before backing up and getting back on the bed.

James walked through the hospital hall with Clarisse in tow. He quickly opened the door to Sam's room, feeling everyone's stare as he entered. All of them were silent. Ben stood beside Jim with a rare gloom looming over him, but his metal hand was clasped tightly around a glowing blue crystal.

"James, there you are." Sam greeted him when he walked in. "What was the green light?"

Everyone expectantly waited for his explanation. Clearing his throat, he told them. "Um, it was a missed call from Hinata."

"What?" Amelia asked, getting up from her seat.

Jim stammered, instantly feeling awful. "I-If I had known she could call…"

"Its fine," James interrupted. "None of us expected she would be able to call… but we need to get this thing working as a tracker faster than ever now. Hinata left a message. Axel isn't taking her to the Organization home world. Hinata isn't sure where he's taking her, but it won't take a few days like we originally thought."

A sense of dread filled the room.

"Call DiZ," Sam told him.

James nodded and pressed the center button on the device as he had seen Hinata do in the past. The rim shined a bright blue and within seconds a small hologram of DiZ appeared in the center.

DiZ was surprisingly unfazed to see someone other than Riku when he answered. "Where is Riku?" He simply asked.

"Oh, yeah you don't know me." James remembered. "One second." He walked forward and handed Sam the device.

"Sam," DiZ recognized her, but still asked, "Where is Riku?"

"He's in hospital room down the hall from me." She explained. "He's fine, but we need your help with Hinata."

"I already discussed the options with Riku," DiZ replied, "I have nothing more to…"

"Will you at least try to seem concerned?" Sam interrupted him, before complaining under her breath, "Damn, Hinata wasn't kidding about you." She let out a breath. "There has to be something you can do to help."

"I am assisting, but not in ways that you might be able to see at the present time." He told her.

Sam gave him a confused look, "What? What does that even mean?" She shook her head, "Never mind. You do realize that the Organization has Hinata right? Do you even care about what they are going to do to her?"

"I do very much. However, there is little to be done from where you are. We may have to wait until she is at the Organization Home world, then…"

"We don't have time for this…" James grumbled, taking the device from Sam. "Axel isn't taking her there."

"How do you know this?" DiZ asked him.

"Hinata called Riku and left a message. She says that she thinks Axel is taking her somewhere else entirely." James explained Riku.

"Why was Riku unable to answer her call?" He asked.

Jim stood up and walked beside James so he could see DiZ. "That was my fault." Jim told him. "I have been trying to rework Riku's device so we can track Hinata's device and I guess that was when Hinata called."

"Interesting, have you made any progress?"

"Not much," Jim admitted, "We haven't seen a lot of the materials inside of it before. The machinery and technology is completely different than ours."

"I may be able to help." DiZ told him. "At least give you the information you will need to understand our technology."

James sighed, "That's what we were hoping you could say." He looked up, "We even have Ben here all ready to get whatever files you want to send."

"Excellent," DiZ nodded, "It seems I underestimated the three of you. Hinata does have good choice in friends."

He reached over and appeared to be pressing some buttons on a keyboard in front of him. Instantly Ben's eye widened and lit up with strings of words crossing in front of him.

"I know what to do!" Ben exclaimed, reaching forward and grabbing the device. "We'll have to call you back DiZ Sir!"

DiZ gave a small chuckle, "Very well. Keep me appraised on your progress."

Ben cut the call off and looked over at Jim, "Jimmy I'm going to need you to follow my instructions."

"Uh yeah, sure thing." Jim went back to the table and sat down. He took the device from Ben and began following his directions.

As they worked away, James went to Sam's bedside and let out a sigh. "Finally we should be getting somewhere."

"Let's hope this will work." Sam replied. She looked towards the window, seeing the sky slowly beginning to change colors as the sun was just getting ready to set.

A knock on the door caught their attention and the feline medic entered. She stood tall and told them, "I just wanted to let all of you know that visiting hours will be over within the next ten minutes."

Jim looked up from his project over to Sam. "Can someone stay here with her?" He asked.

She nodded, "Yes. She may choose one person to stay here with her, but I'm afraid everyone else must return home until tomorrow."

"Alright, thanks." James told her.

She nodded and turned to leave the room.

"I suppose I will head back to the shop and close it for the night if that is alright." Clarisse spoke up for the first time since she entered the room.

"We will head home as well." Doppler looked over to Amelia. "We've done all we can for today."

Amelia sighed as she stood, "Yes, I suppose you are right." She looked towards Jim. "If you find where Hinata is located alert me immediately. I would like to be a part of the rescue mission."

Jim nodded, "Yes Ma'am."

Amelia gave him a small smile and walked over to Sam's bedside. "I know we have not conversed much, but Hinata has spoken quite highly of you. If you need anything during your recovery be sure to let us know."

Sam smiled, "Thank you. Really, that means a lot. Thank you for stopping by today too."

"It was our pleasure." Amelia told her.

"We're just glad to see you safe." Doppler told her.

Sam darted a quick glance at the blanket that was covering her left arm, but strained a smile. "Yeah, me too."

Doppler smiled at her before turning to Sarah. She still sat across from Jim at the table but hadn't said much the entire day. "Can I offer you a ride home, Sarah?"

"Yes actually, that would be nice." She looked over at Jim. "Will you be alright?"

"Yeah mom, I'll be fine." He replied.

She nodded and stood from her seat. She walked over to Sam. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do."

"Thank you Sarah." Sam told her with the same strained smile.

The four of them waved their goodbyes and left the room. Sam let out a long breath once the door closed and leaned back in her bed.

"How are you doing?" James asked her.

"I'd rather not talk about me right now." She told him with a soft voice.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

She looked over at him sternly, "Yes."

"Alright," He sighed before looking over at Jim and Ben still working on the device. "Do you want Jim to stay here with you?"

Jim paused his work and looked up at Sam, smiling when he saw her nod.

"You don't mind do you?" She asked, looking over at James.

He shrugged, "Not like there's much I can do about it." He chuckled, "But no, it's fine actually. I want you to be comfortable." He let out a breath, "I might just hang out in Riku's room."

"Really?" Both Sam and Jim asked at the same time.

"Well yeah, the doctor said you get one person to stay here with you. Riku doesn't have anyone, so I can stay in his room. That way I can still be here for you if you need anything."

"You don't have to do that James." Sam told him.

"It's fine," He assured her with a smile. Looking over at Ben and Jim, he once again noticed the crystal in Ben's hand. "Before I go," He turned towards them. "What is that glowing thing, Ben?"

Ben finally looked away from the device, up towards James. "Oh! I almost forgot!" He remembered, holding out the blue crystal. "This is an Atlantean crystal! I went back to the Highwind to grab it."

Everyone stared at the glowing rock with intrigue.

"But why did you bring it?" James asked.

"I wanted to give it Sam." Ben told them, looking at it. "I mean, it's technically Hinata's, but she doesn't really want it; so I thought you could make better use of it." He held it out for Sam.

"Why did you bring it for Sam?" James asked him, crossing his arms.

Ben's eyes tinted blue and he asked. "From what I have seen of human behavior, it's normal to give gifts as acts of apology, right?"

"Apology?" Sam repeated, noticing the surprised look on James's face. "Why would you need to apologize, Ben?"

"Well… you see…" Ben tried to explain, rubbing his free hand on his thin metal neck. "This whole thing is sort of my fault. I didn't listen to the orders I got and called Hinata. If I hadn't called none of this would have happened." He looked down at his feet before admitting. "I understand why everyone is blaming me for this… I do. And I just want to try to make it right."

Sam was at a loss for words. She silently reached out her hand and grabbed the crystal from him. She gasped the moment she touched it, feeling its power resonate into her. "Thank you." She told him softly, without looking up at him.

"It was the least I could do." He told her, his eyes still downcast and his eyes tinted blue. "Hinata can tell you all about what it does when we get her back."

There was an awkward silence between them, until James cleared his throat, "I'll head to Riku's room. Let me know if you get that thing working."

"We will." Jim assured him.

James nodded and looked over at Sam to see her still examining the crystal. "Just so you know, I told mom."

Sam whipped her head towards him but didn't say anything.

"Don't worry, she's alright." He assured her. "I made her some food and explained everything."

Sam was quiet for several seconds before she asked, "Did she say anything?"

"Not much," He admitted. "But she wanted me to tell you to stay strong."

She scoffed, "She should take her own advice."

"Sam…"

"I know, I know," She let out a long breath. "But alright, thanks for letting me know."

"Yeah," He gave her a smile, "Try to get some rest, alright?"

"You too," She replied as he turned to leave the room.

James closed the door behind him as he reentered the hallway. Fewer doctors walked through the halls and an almost eerie silence went through the whole hospital as the day was coming to an end. James quietly made his way to Riku's room, trying to catch his mind up with everything that had happened that day. He opened the door to Riku's room once he got there and was surprised to see Riku standing by the window while Jack slept away in the bed.

"Are you sure you should be up?" James asked as he closed the door behind him.

Riku half-turned to see James at the entrance of the room and admitted, "I couldn't stay in that bed anymore."

He wheeled his IV bag of medication as he turned away from the window and walked a few steps forward. His long hair was tied back to keep it out of his face that was still feverishly red. He only wore loose fitted cotton pants issued by the hospital when he had been admitted.

"Do you have any news?" He asked James.

"A little bit, yeah." James replied as he grabbed the back of a chair and sat backwards on it. He leaned his elbows on the back of the chair and explained. "DiZ helped out and now Ben is telling Jim how to rework your communications device. They're in Sam's room working on it right now. I told them to let us know when they finish."

Riku nodded and leaned on the edge of his bed. "Finally getting somewhere."

"I don't get something though, why didn't DiZ just do that earlier?" James asked. "He could've saved us hours of work."

Crossing his arms, Riku stared at the door to the room for several seconds before answering. "DiZ was sure Axel would take Hinata back to the Organization home world and he's been wanting to get into that place for months."

"So… he was wanting to wait until Hinata got to the home world so he could have an excuse to have you infiltrate it?" He asked with aggravation rising in his voice. "Who the hell are you guys working for? Why would he risk her like that?"

"He has his reasons." Riku told him before admitting, "Not that I agree with them."

"Now I'm almost glad that Axel guy isn't taking Hinata there."

Riku slowly nodded and looked over at James sitting in the chair in front of him. "Why are you in here?"

James looked up at him and shrugged, "The doctor told us only one visitor can stay with a patient overnight and Sam wanted Jim to stay with her, so I'm staying in here with you in case she needs me." He noticed the immediate frown on Riku's face. "Is that a problem?"

Exhaling deeply, he mumbled, "Whatever, its fine." He was silent a moment before asking, "How is she doing?"

"She seems fine, but I know she isn't." He confessed. "She refuses to talk or even look at her missing arm; not that I can really blame her. I'm just worried how she'll be once she's alone. She won't have anything there to distract herself from it." He ran his hand through his hair and chuckled awkwardly, "Sorry, I don't know why I just told you all that."

"She'll be alright." Riku assured him quietly. "Just give her time."

James nodded, "Yeah…"

Their conversation reached a lull as they both fell into their thoughts. Riku turned and walked back to the window to watch the last slivers of the sun disappear under the horizon. One by one stars began appearing in the dark cloudy sky around the bright yellow moon. Hours passed in silence, both of them still thinking everything over.

James finally glanced over at Riku and asked in a soft voice, "How did you meet Hinata?"

Riku turned his head towards James, surprised by his question. He looked back outside and asked. "She didn't tell you?"

"Honestly I don't really know much about the island you guys grew up on." He told him as he leaned his chin on his arms that were leaning on the back of the chair. "She mostly talked about that stuff with Sam."

"Maybe you should ask her."

"Or… you could tell me?"

"I'm not really in the mood for talking."

"Not even to talk about Hinata?"

"Not with you…"

"Fine, forget I asked." James put up his hands in surrender and finally stood from his seat. "I'm going to get some sleep then."

Riku nodded but didn't reply. He looked up at the moon and let his mind wander to Hinata. He had been trying to avoid thinking about her, but he finally let himself think of her. Their vacation had begun near perfectly; it should have stayed that way. He took a deep breath and leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window.

"Stay strong, Hinata." He whispered under his breath so quietly that he could barely even hear himself. "We'll find you, I promise."


	25. Rescue

Chapter 25

The pale moonlight shined down on the Benbo Inn. Doppler stood at the nearest window, staring out at the burnt crisps of grass outside where the attack had taken place that morning. Amelia sat at a table near him drinking some tea with a hard to read expression on her face while Sarah bustled around the Inn doing busy work to keep her mind off what was happening.

They had been all together at the Inn for over two hours. Doppler and Amelia had their kids at a family household so they could assist in any way to help with Hinata or Sam, but they felt helpless. The only thing they could do was to be there for each other and pray that Hinata was safe.

"I do hope Jim is having luck with that device." Doppler finally spoke up, breaking the tense silence.

"I can only hope that metal-man is providing sufficient aid." Amelia added.

Doppler nodded, not sure what to say in return. He leaned against the window frame, his eyes heavy from lack of sleep but his adrenaline was keeping him awake. Staring outside he blinked rapidly when he saw a sudden bright flash of light, as if something was beaming down from the sky.

"Did you see that?" He asked, getting both Amelia and Sarah's attention.

"What is it?" Amelia asked, getting up from her seat and joining him at the window.

"Outside, there was a sudden beam of light." He told them. "It was barely an instant."

All three of them looked out the window and could barely make out the silhouette of a figure wearing a black coat; however, the figure was a different size entirely from the others they had seen. The figure was small in stature and size with two large round ears on their head. They silently stared at the figure from the window, unsure of its intentions.

The figure looked around at their surroundings; their back to the Inn. Turning around they immediately spotted the group at the window and lifted a small four fingered hand in a wave.

"Did it just wave at us?" Sarah asked.

Doppler chuckled and stood up straight. "I have a feeling they are here to help." Straightening his vest he said, "I'm going to go talk to them."

"Delbert, you can't be serious." Sarah placed her hand in front of him. "We don't have any ideas about their intentions."

"There is one way to find out." Amelia replied. "I'll come too."

Doppler nodded in acknowledgement before telling his friend, "We'll be fine, Sarah."

She looked at both of them with uncertainty but allowed them to pass her. Doppler opened the door leading outside, shivering as the chilling winter winds brushed into him. Closing the door behind them, Amelia cautiously followed Doppler to the mysterious figure that patiently awaited them.

Doppler cleared his throat once they were close enough to the figure that barely stood to their knees. "Uh, hello." He greeted. "Can we help you?"

Lifting up their hands, the figure pulled back the hood concealing their face to reveal a mouse. His round black nose was on the point of his tan face and he looked up at them with big eyes. Amelia took a small step back with her feline ears flat on her head when she realized they were speaking with a mouse.

"Hiya," He greeted them with a high-pitched voice. "I was wondering if you knew where I could find a fella named Riku."

Doppler and Amelia exchanged a look.

"Ah, yes actually." Doppler eventually replied. He knelt down to the mouse's level. "He's at the local hospital."

The mouse's eyes widened and he placed his hands over his mouth, "Oh no! What happened?"

"It's a long story actually." Amelia cut in, stepping forward. "Who are you?"

"I'm a friend of Riku and Hinata." He told them. "I was sent here to help them with something, but I wasn't sure what."

"So you're from their galaxy as well?" Doppler asked.

"Yes'sir, I sure am." He replied before asking. "Now how do I get to the hospital?"

"We'll take you there." Amelia assured him.

"Yes, I'll ready the carriage." Doppler agreed. He quickly got up and rushed to the carriage, awakening Delilah so she could pull them.

"Thank you." He told them as he followed them to the carriage.

In minutes they were off towards the hospital. Doppler was up front driving as Amelia sat in the carriage car with the mouse across from her.

"How did you know Riku would be here?" Amelia asked.

"This is where I was told to go." He replied.

"By whom?" Amelia asked before pondering. "Was it that man they work for?" When he nodded, she let out a small smile. "I am glad he is looking out for them."

They jolted forward when the carriage came to an abrupt stop.

"Woah Delilah!" Doppler called out, pulling on the reigns in attempt to calm his slug like steed.

"What's happening?" The mouse asked, standing from his seat. Without waiting for a reply he opened the door to the carriage and jumped onto the ground. "Heartless!" he exclaimed when he saw the group of Shadows blocking their path.

Doppler reached beside him, readying a plasma gun but stopped short when he saw the tiny mouse jump in front of them slicing through the Heartless with a strange weapon. He watched the mouse leap around, destroying the enemies with ease as Amelia ran out of the carriage holding her own gun, but she slowed to a stop with her mouth agape. Within less than a minute all the enemies had been destroyed.

Making his blade disappear in a flash of light, the mouse turned back around to face Doppler and Amelia. "When did the Heartless get here?"

Doppler cleared his throat and replied, "Two weeks ago."

The mouse frowned but then remembered their mission. "We hafta hurry!" He ran back to the carriage and jumped in, allowing Doppler to continue the ride.

They made it to the hospital without meeting with any more Heartless and as they pulled up to the entrance, Amelia told the mouse across from her. "Visitors are no longer allowed at night. I am not sure how you will get in."

Pulling the black hood back over his face, the mouse assured her. "I understand. I will be fine."

Amelia looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Be sure to let us know if there is anything we can do to help."

Nodding he told her, "I will. Thank you." With that he opened the door to the carriage and hopped out.

Taking a deep breath, he looked up at the tall building in front of him before making his way to the entrance. The glass doors slid open automatically as he walked through and he weaved his way through the halls without anyone noticing him there. After a couple minutes he reached the room with the number Amelia had relayed to him on the way over. Reaching up one of his small hands he turned the door handle and walked in. The room was silent and dark but he could make out Riku sleeping soundly in the hospital bed with a ghost dog sleeping on top of him. He also noticed another man he didn't recognize sleeping in a chair against the wall.

Removing his hood once again, he walked over to Riku and noticed one of his arms hanging off the side of the bed. Grasping his hand, he lightly tugged on it, stirring Riku.

"Riku," The mouse said quietly, "You've gotta wake up."

He groggily woke up, feeling something holding onto his hand. Once his eyes had adjusted to the darkness around him, he glanced over the side of his bed and startled.

"Mickey?!" He exclaimed, sitting up abruptly and waking both James and Jack in the process.

Mickey swiftly brought a finger to his mouth before scurrying to the entrance of the room and pulling the door closed.

"Wha-what?" James asked as his mind struggled to wake up. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at the mouse in front of him. "Who is that? Do you know him Riku?"

"Uh, yeah, he's a good friend of mine." He replied, dazedly watching as Jack floated in front of Mickey, sniffing him before giving him a lick on his round cheek.

Mickey chuckled and patted Jack on his head, before getting back to business. "Riku, what are you doing here? What happened?"

Riku opened his mouth to talk but then let out a breathy laugh, "I could ask you the same thing. How did you know I was here?"

"DiZ sent me!" He told him. "I got a transmission from him asking me to come to Montressor to help you out with something!"

"I guess he does care." James noted, giving a slight wave to Mickey when he looked over at him. "I'm uh, James, by the way."

Mickey politely nodded at him before going back to his question for Riku. "So what are you doing in here? Where's Hinata?"

Letting out a breath, Riku explained everything that had happened that day. Mickey listened intently, his eyes widening when he heard the Organization Member responsible.

"Axel?" Mickey repeated the name. "He's the one that took Hinata?"

Riku nodded, "Yeah I was surprised too."

"Well we have to get her back!" He exclaimed.

"That's what we thought too." James cut in. "Jim is in the other room working on something right now that should help us track her."

"But even with being able to track her, there's no way we could catch up in time." Mickey pointed out.

"That FTL Drive won't be fast enough?" James asked.

Riku sighed, "Now that I think about it, he's right." He lightly coughed in his elbow, before explaining. "Even just to get here to Twilight Town it takes ten hours on the ship and we don't know how far Axel is taking Hinata. He's already so ahead of us."

Mickey placed his hand to his chin. "Hmm… there must be something we can do."

Jack floated around the room as they talked and floated down to Mickey when he saw him thinking. Mickey looked up at the small ghost dog and noticed the blue collar around his bony neck. Reaching up his hand he grabbed the small quarter-sized star charm hanging off the front of the collar. It was bright blue in color with thin lime green veins going through it.

"Well I'll be." Mickey whispered under his breath before talking louder, "I think that's a star shard!"

"A what?" Riku asked.

"A star shard!" Mickey repeated before explaining, "It's a special type of gummi. It can transport you to a different world."

"Really?" James exclaimed, standing up. "So we can use that to get to Hinata?"

Mickey examined it closer. "Well, I'm not sure. This one looks awfully old and worn down from use." He looked up, "Where'd ya get it?"

"Hinata found it," Riku told him. "When she was stranded on Treasure Planet."

"Yeah, she said that Jack stole it off Captain Flint's body. He had it around his neck." James added. "Jack seemed to like it so Hinata made it into a collar for him, but we never thought anything of it."

Mickey nodded and thought about it for a moment. "In this state I'm not sure it would be able to transport us anywhere, but maybe we can power it up ourselves."

"How?" James asked.

"We might be able to use the Atlantean crystal." Riku suggested. "Hinata told me that those crystals are the Atlanteans' main power source and Ben already has it in the other room."

"That's a great idea," Mickey agreed. "It might just work."

"I'll take you to the other room then." James offered, stepping forward.

Mickey nodded and was about to follow him before Riku spoke up, "If you go after Hinata, I want to come too."

"Alright," Mickey assured him.

"Are you sure?" James asked. "You're still really sick, Riku."

"I'm getting rest while I can," Riku told him. "I'm not going to sit out on the rescue mission. Hinata needs me."

"I might be able to help with that," Mickey told him.

Holding out his hand a bright light appeared, making James jump back. When the light was gone a long curved blade was in his hand. It was a various shades of purple with spikes protruding along the top. Engravings of stars covered it from top to bottom

"What is that?" James asked.

"A Keyblade." Riku told him.

"A what?" He asked.

Without answering him, Mickey held his Keyblade above his head and called out, "Heal!"

The very tip of the Keyblade began to glow a bright light and above Riku a trio of translucent pink bell flowers appeared, raining down a glowing mist that swirled around him. Riku let out a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling as if all the sickness inside of him was being drained out.

James stared at the scene before him, his eyes wide and mouth agape. "What the…" He whispered under his breath.

As soon at the mist covered him it disappeared. Riku took a deep breath of relief and smiled at Mickey, "Thanks."

"Of course!" Mickey told him, before turning to James, "Not let's get to the others!"

James took a moment to realize that Mickey was talking to him. "What? Oh…yeah," He shook his head, "Let's go." He glanced between Mickey and Riku as he reached back for the doorknob, missing it completely since he wasn't looking. Clearing his throat, he finally looked at the door and opened it.

"We'll be back," Mickey assured Riku as he followed Jack and James out of the room.

James silently led the way to the other room, unsure of what to say to the small mouse beside him. The halls of the hospital were much quieter as fewer nurses were walking from patient to patient and the lights were dimmed. Their footsteps echoed with each step until they reached the room. James reached forward to open the door, before hesitating.

Mickey noticed his pause and asked, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "N-nothing, it's just…" He frowned before telling him. "Just don't mention my sister's arm."

Mickey gave him a questioning look but nodded all the same. James let out a breath before opening the door to the dark room. Sam lay fast asleep in the bed, her hand wrapped around the Atlantean crystal hanging around her neck, allowing thin streaks of blue-light to shine through her fingers. Across the room Jim sat at the table still tinkering with the communications device by the light Ben emitted from his mechanical eyes. Both Ben and Jim looked over when they heard the door open.

"James?" Jim asked in quiet voice so he wouldn't disturb Sam. "What's going on?"

James waited a moment for him to notice Mickey beside him, but when Jim didn't say anything he explained. "We wanted to see how the communications device is coming along. A friend of Riku says he might have found a way to get to Hinata."

"It's almost done," Jim informed him before asking. "Riku's friend?"

James gave him a strange look, "Uh yeah," He motioned his hand towards Mickey. "He's right here. DiZ told him that Riku and Hinata were in trouble so he came over here."

Jim looked where James pointed and almost startled when he saw Mickey there. "Oh! I didn't even see him there."

Mickey pushed back his hood and stepped forward. "Sorry about that, I'm King Mickey."

"Uh, nice to meet you." He replied while looking the mouse over and trying to figure out why he hadn't noticed him there before. "I'm Jim Hawkins."

"And I'm Ben!" Ben greeted; his voice louder than it should have been.

At the loud voice, Sam began to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and sat up. Releasing her hand around the crystal, she yawned and rubbed her eye. "James?" She sleepily asked. "What are you doing in here?"

"We think we found a way to get to Hinata." James told her.

"You did?" She asked, her apparent tiredness immediately vanishing. "How?"

As if in answer, Jack floated out from behind James and up to Sam.

"Jack's collar, surprisingly." James told her. When everyone in the room gave him a 'huh' in unison, him and Mickey explained everything.

After they had finished clarifying, Sam looked down at the crystal hanging from her neck. "And you think this will charge the star enough?"

"From what I know of Atlantean technology, it most definitely should!" Mickey spoke up.

Grasping the crystal, Sam pulled the necklace off and held it out for Mickey. He jumped up and grabbed it from her. Holding it in the palm of his hand, he admired the way it powerfully glowed. "I never thought I would ever get to see one of these in my lifetime." He mused before looking up at Jack. "Alright boy, bring me your collar."

Jack let out a small bark as he floated over to Mickey and allowed him to take off his collar. Holding the crystal in one hand and the star-shard gummi in the other, Mickey clasped both of them together, making them touch. Closing his eyes he focused on the energy of the crystal and used his own light magic to help boost its power. In between his fingers the crystal shined even brighter than before and Mickey could feel his palms getting hot. After a few seconds he finally brought his hands back apart to see the once dulled star-shard giving off a dim glow.

He looked at the Atlantean crystal once more before handing it back to Sam and said, "Well, the crystal didn't fully charge it, but it should be able to transport at least one or two people."

"Only one or two?" James asked. "Is there any other way to charge it up more? We might need more than just a couple people to go."

Mickey shook his head. "Star-shard gummies are already incredibly rare and valuable; but they only have so much power. The crystal was able to bring out the leftover power, but even that is barely enough to do what we're wanting."

They were quiet for a moment before Jim asked. "So who's going to go then?"

"Riku and I can handle it!" Mickey told them. "You guys have to stay here in your galaxy."

"But we want to help." James slightly argued. "That Axel guy took everyone out with a single attack. You guys don't stand a chance against him by yourselves."

"I understand, but all of you have been put through enough." Mickey explained. "This is something we need to handle on our own. We've dealt with the Organization before."

James obviously didn't agree, but nodded regardless.

"Now," Mickey looked over to Jim and Ben. "Is the device almost done?"

"Almost… got it." Jim told them with a strained voice as he twisted a screw on the back of the device.

The moment it clicked in place the edges began to glow a bright blue as it would when it was connecting to a call. The flat blue area along the top of the device where a hologram of a person would appear lit up and showed a galaxy map. Holograms of different planets appeared with a grid around them.

"This looks like the map to Treasure Planet." Jim noted, watching in wonderment as the hologram appeared.

Everyone stared intently as a green line appeared from a planet and began trailing through the galaxy map until it stopped at a world eight planets away.

"This must be Montressor." Jim spoke up, pointing to the planet where the green line began.

"And where the trail ends must be where Hinata and Axel are!" Mickey surmised. Without waiting for them to reply he ran forward and grabbed the device. "Sorry, but I hafta hurry!" He told them as he put the device in his coat pocket. Running out of the room, he called behind him, "We're going to get Hinata!"

They stared back at the door after Mickey ran out, unsure of what to say.

"And now we just sit here and wait?" Sam asked, letting out an aggravated groan. "I can't believe I'm stuck in this hospital bed waiting for a mouse to save my best friend! I mean, who the hell is that guy? Are we sure we can trust him?"

"He said he's a friend of Riku's." Jim reminded her. "We just have to trust that they know what they're doing."

"But Hinata is out there with that psycho!" Sam argued. "She needs all the help she can get, and she's getting a mouse?"

"If he's Riku's friend, I imagine there is more to him than meets the eye." Ben spoke up.

James frowned, "I'm going after him." He hurriedly left the room to follow after Mickey. He quickly got back to Riku's room, not even seeing the mouse along the way. Opening the door he saw Mickey and Riku standing in the middle of the room, looking down at the star shard.

"Wait," James called, getting their attention. "You're just going to leave us here to wait? Can't we do anything to help?"

"Focus on taking care of Sam." Riku told him. "We'll take care of Hinata."

James looked between them, suddenly feeling more at ease seeing the determined looks in both their faces. He didn't know how, but he had a gut feeling they knew what they were getting into. Letting out a breath and put up his hands in surrender. "Alright fine. Bring her back safe."

"We will." Riku assured him.

Grasping his hand around the star-shard, Mickey brought out the device from his pocket and turned the galaxy map back on.

"How does it work?" James asked.

Looking intently at the planet on the galaxy map, Mickey told him. "The shard will bring you where you need to be and where your hearts wants to be most. So close your eyes and think of Hinata and that planet."

"Alright," Riku replied, closing his eyes.

A few seconds passed in silence as both Mickey and Riku tried to get the shard to activate. James was just about to open his mouth to tell them he didn't think it was going to work but was interrupted when a bright light surrounded them and they instantly vanished, leaving James behind.

An immense chill surrounded them the moment they landed on the ground of the new planet. The ground beneath them was uneven and easily shifted under their feet. Riku opened his eyes to find himself on a desert planet. The tall sand dunes surrounding them were dark red in color, matching the dusty maroon sky. The only varying color was a blue-dwarf star out on the horizon giving a tiny bit of light to the otherwise darkened planet. Riku took one look at the wonderment in front of him before hearing Mickey's voice beside him.

"There she is," Mickey told him with a hushed voice, making him immediately spin around.

Riku spun around and could make out the faint shapes of Hinata out in the distance with Axel only a couple feet ahead of her. Neither of them noticed Riku or Mickey appearing on the planet with them.

"Do ya have any ideas?" Mickey asked, looking up at Riku beside him.

He slowly nodded in response, "Yeah, I think so."

Up ahead, Hinata had her arms wrapped around herself, trying to warm herself as she dragged her feet behind Axel. Small cloudy puffs of air appeared in front of her with every shallow breath. "A-Axel," She stammered, her teeth clattering together. "H-how much longer?"

Axel momentarily stopped walking and let out a breath, the frozen tundra around them seemingly having no effect on him. "Just a few more minutes. I told you to keep moving to stay warm."

"C-can't you make a fire?" She asked.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he was about to reply; but was cut off when a sudden cloud of black smoke appeared a few feet in front of them. Axel immediately went on edge, ready to summon his chakras at a moment's notice. When the smoke dissipated it left Riku behind, standing with Soul Eater already summoned and prepared for a fight.

Hinata let out a shaking breath of relief and smiled, "Riku."

"You seriously don't quit." Axel told him, grabbing Hinata's arm beside him. "Take one step and we're gone."

"Axel, stop!" Mickey's voice yelled behind them.

Axel looked over his shoulder to see Mickey running up behind them already baring his Keyblade.

"You don't have to do this!" Mickey exclaimed.

"Well isn't this a lovely reunion?" Axel replied. "But I'm afraid you guys weren't invited." Pulling on Hinata's arm he told them. "She's coming with me."

Hinata struggled against his hold, feeling completely helpless as her energy was still sapped.

"This is your one chance to give her back peacefully." Riku told him. He tightened his hand around Soul Eater's hilt when he saw the pained expression on Hinata's face as Axel pulled on her.

With a scoff and an eye roll, Axel held out his hand to his side and summoned a Corridor of Darkness right beside him. "One of these days you're going to learn to fight first, talk later."

He started to pull on Hinata, but she yelled, "No!" Clenching her free hand, she mustered up every last bit of her magic and pummeled a spiral of water right into Axel's face.

He staggered back in surprise, his hand loosening on her arm and the Corridor vanishing. Hinata ripped herself from his grip and attempted to make a getaway. Her feet sunk in the sand, making her stumble, but Riku ran forward and grabbed her arm; helping her up. They looked at each other for a single peaceful second before Axel recovered from the sudden attack.

Riku moved Hinata behind him and told her, "Stay back, we'll handle this."

She numbly nodded, not having enough energy to aid in their attack. Riku and Mickey stood protectively in front of her as Axel stood back up straight, his face dripping with water. His once mischievous bright eyes were transformed to anger.

"You want a fight?!" He yelled, summoning his chakras in wheels of fire. "Fine!"

The glow from the fire in his blades illuminated him with an orange light before he sprang to action. Axel pounced forward, throwing both his weapons straight for them. Mickey quickly jumped, spiraling through the air as Riku grabbed Hinata and pulled her out of the way.

While midair, Mickey raised his Keyblade and yelled, "Light!"

From the tip of his blade it shined a bright white light and a large pearl of powerful aura honed in on Axel, hitting him in the back. Axel stumbled forward, but rolled into it and somersaulted while re-grabbing his weapons. He swiftly got back to his feet and threw one of his weapons straight for Mickey in the air before lunging towards Riku. He bounced back when Riku deflected him with Soul Eater.

Riku released Hinata's arm and held Soul Eater out at his side. Focusing his darkness, he made the blade begin to glow with a dark power. He jumped into the air, disappearing in a sudden smoke before reappearing right above Axel and pummeling down with his blade. Axel raised his single chakra to block him, doing a poor job as Soul Eater took a generous slice on his arm. Letting out an annoyed growl, Axel teleported a few feet away, grabbing at his arm when he reappeared as it leaked black smoke. Cringing through the pain he stood back up straight and held out his arms, re-summoning both his chakras.

Mickey and Riku regrouped, once again standing protectively in front of Hinata with their weapons ready. Axel stared back at them, ignoring his arm bleeding a mixture of blood and darkness. He glanced between them and spotted Hinata giving him a worried look. Shaking his head, he frowned and took a deep breath.

He made both his chakras disappear and stood up straight, catching them off guard. He held out his arms in a welcoming gesture and forced a smile. "You know, we could go at this all day."

"You could end it right now if you'd just quit." Riku bit.

Axel chuckled, "I could say the same thing about you."

"Axel, why are you doing this?" Mickey asked. "You helped us in Castle Oblivion."

He nodded and admitted, "You're right I did; but that was when we had a common goal. Now," He shrugged, "It's a little different."

He lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. Instantly dozens of Dusk Nobodies appeared all around them and wasted no time to slink their way towards them. Mickey easily began jumping around, slicing the enemies left and right. With single hits they disintegrated but more would appear to take their place. Riku summoned a string of dark auras, sending pits of dark fire plummeting towards various enemies.

Taking the moment of their distraction, Axel disappeared in a cloud of black smoke and reappeared right by Hinata. He immediately grabbed her arm, ignoring her yells of protest and summoned a Corridor of Darkness right beside them.

"Hinata!" Riku yelled, slicing through a group of Dusks in front of him with a single sweep. He reached for her, but she was pulled into the Corridor before he could take a step.

"Riku!" Hinata cried back, but she was already enveloped in darkness by the time she yelled. "No, no," She frantically looked around, realizing she was in the Corridor of Darkness. "Take me back!" She shouted with tears stinging the corners of her eyes, trying to pull out of Axel's grasp.

"I told you, I'm under orders," Axel told her as he finally released her and let her fall to the ground. He walked forward and surrounded his arm with a green mist so he could heal it. "So no can do."

Hinata looked up at him with anger and hurt in her eyes. "I don't care if you're under orders! Why are you really doing this? What did I ever do to you?!"

Axel had his back to her as he healed. He felt something inside of him sink when he heard her words; but he wasn't sure what it was. Lifting his hand over his chest, he looked down, momentarily remembering what it was like to have a heart. He remained silent for several seconds, eventually hearing Hinata's quiet sobs echo through the Corridor.

Taking a deep breath, he finally conjured up an answer. "There's a rule in the Organization…" He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Hinata was looking up at him with a tear stained face. "Whoever betrays the Organization must be eliminated. And for those who don't care about being eliminated, they will instead be turned into a Dusk."

Hinata sniffled before quietly asking, "You guys can do that? Be turned into different Nobodies?"

He slowly nodded, "Our leader has the power to do it to us."

"Xehanort?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer. When Axel nodded again she looked back down at the ground and considered what he said. Lifting one of her hands, she wiped away the tears on her face and pushed herself to stand. "So… you're doing this because if you don't… you'll either be killed permanently or turned into a Dusk?" When Axel didn't reply, she slowly walked up to him and placed her hand on his arm. "Axel… I'm sorry. I didn't know." She inhaled deeply, "It makes sense now." She shook her head, feeling her haywire emotions rising again. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this, Axel."

He glanced over at her with confusion. "You're sorry?" He asked in almost disbelief. She looked up at him with teary eyes and nodded, making him get the tiniest hint of a smirk on his face. He looked away with a chuckle, "You're just like you were nine years ago. Haven't changed a bit."

She stared at him for a moment, taken aback that he would mention their past. Swallowing hard, she forced a smile and recalled one of the last things he said to her when they were young. "Friends have to stick together…"

Axel scoffed and finished, "Got it memorized?"

Hinata let out a short laugh, "Yeah."

Axel's smirk grew a bit larger but he still kept his eyes averted. They stood in silence for a few seconds before he frowned and cleared his throat, "Come on, we have to keep moving." He began walking forward, leaving Hinata behind him.

Hinata stared after him and took a deep breath. She looked back at where they entered from, wishing she could find a way to get back to Riku and Mickey.

"Hinata," Axel called back at her.

"Alright," She quietly replied. Turning around, she reluctantly followed after Axel.

The darkness swirled around them as they walked in silence. Neither of them looked at each other, thoughts heavy on their minds. Every so often, Hinata would glance back at the entrance as if hoping it would reopen. Before they knew it they had reached the light at the end of the Corridor and Axel grabbed Hinata's arm, though not nearly as tightly as he had before. They glanced at each other before walking through.

They were immediately met with pouring rain upon appearing in the new world. Hinata let out a gasp as she was instantly soaked with the hard raindrops. Opening her eyes she had a hard time seeing their surroundings. They stood on top of a circular metal platform that was raised over a huge body of raging water. The sky was covered with dark storm clouds in every direction. In front of them the platform they stood on led to an array of domed buildings also made of metal.

With every drop of water that landed on Hinata, she could feel her magic replenishing like a breath of fresh air. She stood still for a moment and closed her eyes, focusing on the multitude of water surrounding them. She felt the tattoo on her face beginning to glow as the water was kicking her magic into overload. All at once she felt nearly as powerful as she did when she was in the underground cavern back at Atlantis. Axel's voice echoed through her mind as he tried to get her to move, she opened her eyes and looked over at him.

Axel nodded at her and began leading the way towards the nearest dome building in front of them. Thick windows were along the side, revealing white pristine hallways inside. As they came closer to the large glass door Hinata came to a stop. She glanced around at their surroundings and then at Axel as he continued to walk forward without her. Looking down at her hands she took a deep breath, focusing her magic. The raindrops around her froze in midair as a protective barrier formed around her, making the falling drops of water bounce off without hitting her. The water by her feet began to rise, joining with the water in the air surrounding her. Axel stopped moving ahead of her, noticing that she was no longer beside him. He began to look over his shoulder at her but was suddenly struck with a sharp bullet of water to his back. With a cringe he stumbled forward, feeling as if he had just been shot by something. Before he could recover, Hinata clapped her hands together; forcing all the water she gathered together and pummeled it towards Axel. It stuck its landing, hitting the center of his back hard. It sent him flying forward as Hinata kept the water's momentum against him, slamming him against the wall of the building. Letting out a breath, Hinata finally permitted the water to fall, allowing Axel's body to fall limp to the ground. Her eyes widened when he slumped to the ground and she sprinted towards him.

She skidded to her knees once she neared him face-down on the ground. Grabbing his shoulder, she struggled to flip him over and placed her fingers against the side of his neck. She let out a breath of relief when she felt his weak pulse against her fingers. Removing her fingers from his neck, she stood up and placed her hands under his arms, pulling him into a sitting position before sliding him back so he could lean on the wall of the building. Once he was situated she stood back up straight and stared down at him for a moment, swallowing a lump in her throat. Shaking her head she turned around and scanned the area. The only way off the platform she was on was to either jump into the raging stormy water below or to go inside the very building Axel was taking her to. She glanced through the glass door, seeing the long halls of white.

Knowing it was her best chance; she reached over and pulled open the door. Before entering she gave once last look at Axel and whispered, "I'm sorry…"

She rushed inside and struggled to pull the door closed behind her from the strong outside winds working against her. Getting it finally shut, she took a moment to examine her surroundings. Water dripped off her clothes, making an instant puddle on the pristine white tile floor. Long thin lights lined the ceiling as if leading the way down the long halls. Running her hands along her cold soaked arms, she reluctantly began to walk, unsure where she was headed.

"There must be a ship or something I can take." She whispered to herself as she walked.

Her footsteps echoed through the seemingly empty halls as well as the sound of her soggy clothes splashing drops of water behind her. She passed several doorways, unsure of which one she should take until she saw a room with a large computer lab inside of it. Glancing both ways to make sure no one was around; she slunk inside the room and rushed over to the computer. She spread out her shivering hands over the long keyboard in front of the large rectangular screen and pressed the enter key to wake it up.

"M-maybe there's a map or something." She whispered aloud as if to reassure herself of her intentions.

The screen went from a screensaver of flowers to a tranquil blue color with the words Kamino Cloning Facilty along the center.

"Kamino?" She whispered, not recognizing the name. "Why would Axel bring me here?"

She shook it off, not even daring to acknowledge the last two words in the title and waited for the screen to continue loading. It took a few seconds to load as a small loading circle appeared in the center of the screen; making Hinata look around nervously. She let out a small groan when a small window requiring a password popped up.

Pushing herself back from the desk she turned back around to leave the room. "So much help that did me." She complained to herself as she walked away.

She peeked out the doorway, making sure the way was still clear before fully coming out to the hallway. Continuing on her search, she sped up her pace through the long seemingly endless walkways.

"This isn't getting me anywhere." She told herself, finally slowing to a stop.

Looking around she saw a doorway leading to what seemed like a lab and turned to enter it. Going inside she saw medical beds with questionable tools and machines attached to them; making her shudder. She walked passed them and opened a door on the far end of the room, gasping when she saw what lay behind it. Reminded of what she saw in her dreams, there were rows of thick glass tubes reaching from the ceiling to the floor with various types of Heartless in each one. A nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach made her look away as a rush of memories flooded her mind.

"I should have expected this…" She whispered under her breath as she quietly turned around and left the room, as if pretending she had never discovered it.

Keeping her eyes directed towards the ground she quickly made her way out of the lab, back to the doorway. Leaning against the wall she peeked out, this time seeing a creature down the hall.

It was some sort of alien Hinata had never seen before. With pasty white skin it was a tall and lanky creature with two arms and legs. A thin braided band wrapped around the top of its bony head and it looked around with two large eyes, scanning the pools of water on the floor leading to Hinata's hiding spot. Its long flowing clothes dragged on the ground behind it as it gracefully walked along. Hinata fully leaned back against the wall, making sure she was out of sight despite knowing that it was only a matter of time until the water pools gave her away. Closing her eyes she began focusing on her magic but was startled out of it when she heard the door leading from the lab to the room filled with Heatless open.

She shot her eyes open and her mouth fell agape when she saw a tall man with long blonde hair coming out of the room. He was looking down at a clipboard in his hands with a long white lab coat around him. Closing the door behind him, he took a step forward and paused when he heard a small splash of water underneath his foot. Moving aside the clipboard he looked to the ground with confusion, seeing the trail of water and followed it with his green eyes until they led to Hinata.

He looked up at her with an unsettling smile and greeted, "Ah Hinata, I suppose Axel really did follow through this time."

"E-Even?" She stammered, backing out of the room and also gaining the attention of the alien creature already tracking her down. With wide eyes she darted her eyes between the alien and Even, making sure she kept a good distance away from both of them.

Even walked out of the lab entirely with a surreal calmness. "Vexen, actually." He corrected her before smirking and shrugging. "Well, technically, Vexen's Replica, but that's not entirely an essential title, now is it."

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Hinata asked, still walking backwards. "What do you want with me?"

Vexen's Replica put up his hand to stop the creature from advancing and walked towards Hinata. "Come with me and you can find out."

She shook her head and bit, "Just answer me! I'm tired of these games! Are you wanting to clone me or something?"

Vexen stopped momentarily and gave her a strange look before chuckling. "Oh I forgot how vast your imagination can be."

"But that's what this place is, isn't it?" She asked, glancing back at the alien behind him. "I saw all those Heartless in your lab."

Vexen opened his mouth to respond but stopped short when a bright light flashed behind Hinata. He shut his eyes from the intensity before looking back and smirking. "Good, you're here. Restrain her."

Hinata gasped and looked behind her, seeing a man in a black coat standing a few feet behind her. Her heart began to race with fear and she spun around back to Vexen. Closing her eyes she focused her magic and cried, "Just stay the hell away from me!"

Before she could form a single spell, the man behind her wrapped his arms around her and vanished both of them in a cloud of black smoke. Not realizing what was happening, Hinata struggled against his grasp, begging him to let her go.

"Hinata! Hinata, it's me!" Riku yelled over her as he kept her in his arms. "You're safe!"

Instantly recognizing his voice, she ceased her struggle and opened her eyes; realizing she was in a Corridor of Darkness. She let out a shaking breath, still feeling her heart pounding in her chest. Reluctantly, Riku released his hold on her, allowing her to move freely. The moment she could move, she turned around and buried her face in Riku's chest, sobbing. Riku wrapped his arms back around her, holding her tightly as she cried. He felt his own coat slowly become soaked as he held her drenched body, but he didn't care.

Leaning his cheek on her head he whispered, "I've got you, you're safe."

"I… I-I was so scared…" Her voice was barely audible in between her sobs. "I-I thought I'd never see you again."

Riku tightened his arms around her and kissed her temple. "I'm right here."

She sniffled and asked, "How are you here?" She inhaled sharply. "How did you know where I was?"

He let out a small laugh and reached back one of his hands from her, placing it into his pocket. Hinata watched him, her cheek still pressed against his chest, as he pulled out Jack's collar.

"With this." He told her.

"Jack's collar?" She asked with her voice still strained from crying.

"Yeah," He replied, beginning to run his other hand along her back. "Mickey came to the hospital to…"

"The hospital?" She asked, pushing back from him so she could see his face. "Why were you at the hospital? What happened?"

He looked away from her, unsure where to begin.

"Is it Sam?" She asked. Worry began building in her gut as her own problems seemed to melt away. "Was it because of Axel?" When he didn't respond, she said. "Riku…"

Letting out a breath he looked back at her and brought his hand from her back up to her face. Using his thumb, he brushed away the tears on her cheek. "Don't worry about it right now. Everyone is safe and waiting for you to come back. Right now just be thankful you're alright."

She stared at him, knowing there was something he wasn't telling her; but the longer she gazed at him the more her frown faded away to reveal a smile. "You're right." She leaned back into him, allowing him to hold her. "This right now… is perfect."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so glad you're safe." He whispered to her. They stood in each other's embrace for a couple more minutes, simply taking in the peaceful moment together, before Riku finally brought back his arms from her back and told her. "Come on, we need to get going. You ready?"

She nodded and stood back from him, "Yeah."

Grabbing her hand in his, Riku began leading the way down the Corridor. They walked in comfortable silence for a couple minutes before Riku spoke up. "I wasn't able to make a connection with Montressor, but it's a world we know. Once we get there I'll call Mickey and he'll fly over with his gummi ship to pick us up."

Hinata nodded in response but didn't say anything.

Riku looked over at her and asked. "Are you alright?"

She was silent for a moment before asking. "Did you see Vexen?"

He frowned and replied, "Yeah… I don't know how that was possible."

"He said he was a replica." She told him, her eyes gazing down at her feet as she thought it over. "What do they want with me?"

"It's probably better we don't know." He told her.

"They're going through so much trouble to get me there… and there is even a replica of Vexen there waiting for me." She thought aloud. "Whatever it is, it can't be good."

"Hinata," Riku stopped walking, making her look over at him. "Don't think about it, alright?" He placed both of his hands on her shoulders. "We aren't going to find out, because I'm not going to let them do anything to you." He placed his hand under her chin and made her look up towards him. "This was too close of a call. I'm not putting you in their grasp ever again. So there isn't any use in worrying about it."

"But..." She began to object.

"I'm not talking about it anymore." He told her. "We'll tell DiZ what happened when we get back to Twilight Town. Other than that, don't worry about it." When she averted her gaze from him he softly called, "Hey…"

She looked back at him and was surprised when he leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss.

When he pulled back he told her. "I'm not losing you again, alright?"

She gave him a small smile as her cheeks blushed and she reluctantly nodded in reply. He smiled and kissed her again before standing back up straight and leading the rest of the way out of the Corridor. They reached the light and walked through, immediately being met with familiar salty-tinged air. Hinata immediately opened her eyes and grinned when she saw the sparkling blue ocean spread before them, reflecting faint rays of light as the sun was beginning to rise. They stood on a sandy beach right beside a paopu tree.

"The island," She said under her breath in wonderment. "We're home."


	26. Friends

Chapter 26

Hinata closed her eyes, feeling the warm tropical heat soak into her chilled skin as she lay on the trunk of the paopu tree. Her hands were laced behind her head and one of her legs dangled off the side. Opening her eyes she looked up at the yellow star-shaped fruit hanging from the top of the tree above her. She reached up one of her hands and ran her fingertips along the rough bumpy texture of the fruit.

The sound of creaking wood caught her attention and looking away from the paopu fruit she noticed Riku walking across the wooden bridge towards her. With a smile, she pushed herself to sit up.

"Did you call the King?" She asked him as he approached her.

He nodded, "Yeah, Mickey's on his way with his gummi ship. He said he'll be here in a little over an hour."

"Are you sure no one will see us here before he gets here?" She asked.

With a shrug he replied, "Its early enough in the morning I doubt anyone is even awake yet."

Hinata nodded and looked up at the darkened sky. The sun was slowly making its way up and the stars were just beginning to disappear. She was silent for a moment before telling him. "It's Christmas morning, isn't it?"

He smiled and replied, "Yeah, Merry Christmas."

She chuckled, "You too." She brought her eyes down to him and noted, "This wasn't exactly how I was expecting to spend Christmas."

"Yeah, me neither."

"But, I'm not complaining." She smiled. "It feels like I haven't been here in forever."

"I think it's been over a year." He remembered.

Hinata nodded silently in response, staring out at the ocean horizon and listening to the familiar sound of the waves crashing against the sand. Riku turned and leaned his back against the trunk of the tree, crossing his arms as he also stared out at the horizon. They stayed in a comfortable silence for several minutes; finally enjoying a stress-free moment.

After a while Hinata spoke up. "Do you mind if we explore the island a bit?"

Riku looked up at her. "Sure, where did you want to go?"

A small smile appeared on her face, "I'd like to see the secret cave again."

Letting out a short laugh under his breath, he replied, "We haven't been in there together since…"

"Our first kiss." She finished for him with a small giggle. "Seems so long ago."

He smiled to himself, "Yeah."

Hinata slid off the trunk of the tree, landing on the coarse sand below. Her clothes were finally beginning to dry, but still felt heavy from being soaked. Grabbing the bottom of her pullover sweater, she peeled it off; much to Riku's surprise, leaving her in a black sports bra. Once the drenched sweater was off, she slung it over the trunk of the tree to dry.

She noticed Riku's blushed cheeks and chuckled. "What? You've seen me wear less when we spar." Running her fingers through her tangled hair, she walked past him. "Come on, I wonder if there are any new drawings in the cave."

He looked her over for a moment before jogging to meet her pace. "I guess we'll see."

They were quiet as they walked. Riku glanced over at Hinata beside him; it was obvious something was heavy on her mind. He refrained from saying anything about it to her and instead jogged forward to move away some of the dangling overgrown vines covering the entrance to the cave.

Hinata gave him a small smile of thanks as she bent down and crawled through the opening. Once through the initial crawling space, the ceiling went high enough for her to stand. It took her eyes a moment to adjust the sudden change of light and she held her hands in front of her as she walked through the narrow rock hall. Soon she reached the familiar grotto, seeing the tree roots protruding from the rock walls and the thin streaks of sunlight peeking through the cracks in the ceiling. Walking further in, she approached the brown door on the far end of the cave and ran one of her hands over the surprisingly smooth wood.

When Riku walked in behind her, she commented to him. "I'm surprised this is still in one piece. Didn't you tell me it was filled with darkness?"

"Yeah, but that was when the whole island was destroyed by darkness." He told her. "After Sora defeated Ansem the island went back to the way it used to be."

Hinata nodded in response and turned to see the familiar drawings etched into the stone walls. She instantly noticed the portraits of Sora and Kairi, seeing the newly added paopu fruits both of them were giving each other.

She pointed it out to Riku. "Were those there before?"

Riku came up behind her and knelt down so he could see the drawing better. Sure enough a paopu fruit was drawn in front of both of Sora and Kairi's face; each of them attached to an arm as if they were exchanging the fruit.

"Huh," He smirked. "Well what do you know?" He stood back up straight with Hinata beside him.

"I guess the secret's out that they like each other." She commented with a small chuckle. "I wonder if Kairi remembers Sora."

Riku shook his head, "I doubt it. If we can't even remember him there's no reason she would be able to."

"I guess you're right." She sighed. "I hope we can fix everything with Sora soon. It's been feeling like a lost cause recently; especially with everything else going on."

"We'll get it." He assured her. "DiZ has been sending us on all these missions for a reason. They must be helping in some way."

Hinata nodded and commented, "Except I won't be going on missions anymore." Grabbing her forearm with her other hand she admitted, "After what happened on this trip there's no way DiZ is going to let me leave the mansion."

"It's for the best, Hinata."

"I know…" She agreed. "I just wish I wasn't such a burden."

He scoffed, "Trust me; you aren't anything near a burden."

She half-nodded in response averting her gaze to absently stare at the other end of the cave. Her eyes obviously conflicted about something.

Riku examined her with a small frown, eventually asking, "Is there something on your mind?" When she only nodded in response he pried. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He waited in anticipation for her to reply until she finally spoke up. "Can you tell me about what happened after I went missing?"

"There isn't really any reason to, not yet anyways." He told her. "You'll just worry."

She darted her eyes towards him on his last words. "You keep saying that," She told him, "What happened?"

He sighed and placed both his hands on her shoulders. "Can you just relax for a bit? It's Christmas morning and even if I told you everything that happened there wouldn't be anything you could do until we get to Montressor. I wanted to make sure we could have a nice break together and this is the best we've got. So, at least try to enjoy it. I promise I'll explain everything when we get to Montressor."

Hinata stared at him with uncertainty for a moment, until she finally nodded, "Alright. I'll try not to think about it." She looked away and finished. "I just hope everyone is alright."

"They are." He assured her. "I promise." He looked at her still worried expression and asked. "So what would you like to do?"

She thought about it for a moment before getting a smirk on her face. Looking back at Riku she replied. "Well the last time we were in here we had our first kiss. I think it's only fair we continue the tradition."

He smirked back and leaned in towards her. "You're right; I guess it's only fair."

Hinata giggled right before he pressed his lips against hers. There were no fireworks or sparks like there had been with their first kiss; yet instead it was warm and comforting in a way words never could be. Riku slid one of his hands to be below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek; while his other arm wrapped around her back, ever so slightly pulling her closer. Hinata rested both her hands on his chest, moving her lips against his in perfect synch. When they broke apart for air, Riku rested his forehead against hers as he smiled at her. She grinned in return, the previous worries in her mind evaporated in the kiss.

"That was way better than our first kiss." She whispered, making him laugh under his breath.

Sliding his hand from around her back, he reached up to one of her hands on his chest and grabbed it. "Come on," He told her, "We have the rest of the island to see." He took a step back and began leading the way out of the cave.

Hinata scanned the small enclave once more, before following after him. Crawling out of the cave entirely, their eyes took a moment to adjust to the sudden change of light. The sun was a bit higher in the sky, making it turn bluer by the minute. Riku stood quietly beside Hinata, waiting for her to choose where to go next. She looked around for a moment before walking towards the beach. Reaching the water's edge she sat down on the sand, taking off her shoes before bringing her knees up to her chest to watch the small waves lap the ground at her feet. Taking a deep breath of the salty-tinged air she looked around for Riku, spotting him by the paopu tree taking off his black coat and hanging it over the trunk of the tree beside her sweater. She turned her attention back to the ocean, spotting small silver fish swimming around not too far off the coast.

Within the next couple of minutes she noticed Riku approaching her and she spoke up. "I never thought I would miss the sound of the waves so much."

He smiled as he sat down behind her, allowing Hinata to lean back into him. One of his hands fiddled with her hair, running the strands through his fingertips as she rested her back against his chest. His other arm was beside them in the sand, supporting their weight. They silently stared out at the ocean horizon, enjoying each other's company.

After a few peaceful minutes, Riku pushed some of Hinata's hair away from the side of her face and began lightly kissing her neck. Hinata closed her eyes and hummed in appreciation at his affection.

As he kissed her, Hinata spoke up with a whisper, "Do you ever have moments you wish could last forever?"

He momentarily paused his kissing and replied, "You mean like right now?"

Her cheeks blushed and she giggled, "Well yeah." She let him go back to kissing her for a moment before asking. "Do you think we could just forget about everything going on and hide out here forever?"

He chuckled, leaning his forehead on her shoulder. "I'm pretty sure you would get tired of that really quick."

"Would not," She objected with a quiet laugh.

"You'd be bored before the day was even over." He told her.

She scoffed, "It's like you don't know me at all."

"I know you better than anyone," He challenged.

"Name one thing about me that no one else knows."

He thought about it for a moment before smirking. "Well…" He began to tell her while moving both his hands to the side of her waist right below her ribcage and feeling her slightly squirm from his touch. "I know this." Without warning he began tickling her.

Hinata yelped in surprise, instantly bending forward while giggling almost uncontrollably. Quickly moving her hands, she tightly grabbed Riku's, forcefully making his tickles cease. "W-wait," She told him breathlessly, laughter still in her voice. "That is so not fair."

He laughed in response, "Well you asked me to tell you something only I knew about you. How many people know that you're incredibly ticklish?"

Her cheeks flushed as she regained her breath and told him. "I'd prefer it to be no one. It's not my fault I got ticklish during a sparring match." She looked down at his hands that she still tightly gripped in hers and reluctantly released them while cautioning him. "Be warned, I will turn this into a full out war if you do that again."

He snickered under his breath, "A war, huh?"

"Don't tempt me," She tried to sound intimidating but couldn't help but laugh.

"Point taken." He replied, seemingly placing his hands back down to his side. He waited for the moment Hinata finally began putting her guard down before abruptly pouncing his hands back to her waist.

She shrieked with laughter and surprise while reaching for his hands; but he quickly released her before she could grab him and jumped up to his feet. Scrambling to stand once she was free, Hinata saw Riku sprinting away.

"Oh no you don't!" She yelled as she began to run after him. "It is on!"

Riku only laughed in response as he fled. They chased each other around the small island, laughing together as they tickled and tackled each other. Eventually both of them were completely exhausted and finally came to rest at the paopu tree. Hinata breathlessly leaned her back against the trunk of the tree, her skin slicked with sweat.

"W-We'll call that… a draw…" She mustered some words.

Riku laughed as he came up beside her and nodded. "Fair enough; although, I would have just as easily accepted your surrender."

She scoffed, half-heartedly shoving him with her arm. "Whatever…"

He chuckled in response before feeling the communications device in his pocket vibrate. Pulling it out he pressed the blue button in the center to answer the incoming call. Within seconds a small hologram of Mickey appeared. He was sitting in the pilot's chair in his gummi ship.

"Hiya Riku!" Mickey greeted, "Sorry for the wait, you wouldn't believe how many Heartless ships were out today!"

Riku smiled in return with a quite chuckle and replied. "It's fine Mickey. We didn't even notice."

"You two ready to go?" Mickey asked.

Glancing up at Hinata, he saw her nod wordlessly. "Yeah," He replied. "We just need to grab our stuff."

"Sure thing!' Mickey chimed, "I'll beam you up in a couple minutes then."

"Thanks." Riku told him before cutting the call and placing the device back in his pocket. He walked over to the paopu tree and grabbed his coat hanging over the trunk.

As he put it on, Hinata noticed a bulge in one of the coat's side pockets but didn't ask what it was. Instead she looked around the island taking a deep breath. "We'll come back here again someday, right?" She asked.

Riku paused zipping up his coat and looked over at Hinata, seeing sadness in her golden eyes. He walked over to her and grabbed her hands, making her look at him. "I promise." He told her. "After all this is over, we'll all come back here." He squeezed her hands, "But for now, your friends need you. It's time to get back to the mission."

Hinata looked down at their clasped hands, selfishly wishing that they didn't have to leave. Inhaling deeply she looked back up at Riku and nodded, "You're right. The Universe won't save itself."

Riku chuckled. "I don't know about that; but Sora certainly won't wake up on his own."

"That's true too." She lightly laughed in response as she released Riku's hands. She walked over to the paopu tree and grabbed her pullover sweater, relieved to find it had been dried by the sun. After pulling it back on, she went to Riku's side. "Alright, I'm ready."

With a small smile, Riku reached back into his pocket and pulled out the communication's device. He pressed on the center button and within seconds a white light surrounded them. When the light dissipated they found themselves inside the cockpit of Mickey's gummi ship. A glass dome encapsulated them and three white chairs stood in the center of the area. Mickey sat in the front chair in front of the control board that seemed more like a hologram floating in front of him.

"I've seen this ship before." Hinata remembered, looking around.

"You probably rode it with Donald and Goofy! This was the ship they used on their last adventure." Mickey explained while pressing a few buttons on the hologram controls before hopping from his seat. "I've been using it while they're asleep at your mansion." He walked over to them with a big smile and stopped in front of Hinata. "It's great to see you safe and sound, Hinata."

Hinata smiled and knelt to his level. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'm very thankful for you and Riku for helping me." She paused for a moment before realizing. "Actually, thinking about it, how did you know I needed help? Did Riku call you?"

"DiZ was actually the one that called me." Mickey told her. "He said that you and Riku needed help in Montressor and since I was already in the area I flew on over."

"Oh, that's really surprising, actually." Hinata commented with a small laugh. "Did you have something on your ship that helped track me?"

Mickey looked up at Riku with a questioning look and Riku confessed, "I haven't told her anything."

"Oh," Mickey realized before letting out a short laugh. "Well then I guess there's a lot to catch up on!" Mickey was about to continue explaining, but was cut short when a laser blast hit the ship, making everyone stumble. He quickly turned around and ran for the controls. "More Heartless are attacking." He told the others as he got the gun of the ship firing. "Riku, you and Hinata go below deck; I'll take care of the enemy ships."

"Alright," Riku replied, leading Hinata down a nearby set of stairs.

As they walked down, they could hear the laser guns firing outside and the occasional rumble of the ship made them grasp the stair railing with their hands.

"Why don't we ever see any Heartless with the Highwind?" Hinata asked as she got down the last step.

Riku shrugged and surmised. "I think it's because of the FTL Drive. Gummi ships don't have that technology and just fly normally, making them run into Heartless."

Hinata nodded in understanding as she looked around the vaguely familiar surroundings. It still appeared to be bigger on the inside as she remembered. In front of her was a long hallway with blue flooring and pale yellow walls. There were two red doors, one on either side of the hall and at the end of the walkway was a small kitchen complete with a fridge, counter space, and stove.

"Hinata! You're back!" A tiny almost squeaky voice caught her attention and looking down the hall she saw two chipmunks dashing towards her.

With a smile on her face, Hinata knelt down and greeted them. "Chip, Dale, it's great to see you two!"

Riku knelt down as well, looking at the two chipmunks with a slightly confused expression on his face. "So these are the chipmunk engineers you told me about back in London."

Hinata glanced up at him before recalling, "That's right; I forgot I told you about them."

Dale hopped up and down with excitement, his red nose bobbing along with his movements. "King Mickey told us you'd be coming aboard."

"How have you been?" Chip asked, equally excited.

Hinata looked back at the tiny chipmunks in front of her and replied. "I've been doing…" Her voice trailed off for a moment before slowly replying. "Alright, I guess. A lot's been going on."

"You can say that again." Chip agreed.

"How long will you be on the ship?" Dale asked.

"Just until we get back to Montressor." She shrugged. "However long that is."

"That will be five hours from now." Chip answered. "Are you sure you won't stay longer though? There's more than enough room on the ship."

Hinata giggled, "Thanks but I have things I need to do on Montressor." She glanced up at Riku, "My friends need me."

Dale let out a tiny sigh, "Well alright. Just in case though; we set up a room for you!"

"You did?" Hinata asked, looking back down at them.

Chip nodded before quickly springing towards a red door further down the hall. "Yep! Right here. There's a bed all made up for you."

Hinata smiled, "Well thank you guys."

Chip ran back to Dale and they both stood up on their back paws, giving a small salute. "It's our pleasure." Chip assured her.

"Let us know if you need anything." Dale told her.

"I will thanks." Hinata chuckled as she replied.

"Happy flying!" they both chimed, hopping up and down before bounding towards the stairs.

As they disappeared up the steps, Riku and Hinata went back to standing up straight.

"Are they really engineers?" Riku asked, coming up beside Hinata.

She chuckled, "Yes, they're really smart. I remember they helped me calibrate my gummi ship to follow them to different worlds without even having to come onto my ship to do it." She shook her head and laughed, "I bet Sam would get a kick out of them." She turned to Riku after she mentioned Sam and asked. "So, are you ever going to explain what happened after I left?"

Riku's smile slowly transformed to a frown as Hinata once again went back to everything on Montressor. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather get some sleep first? You haven't slept since…"

"Riku," Hinata interrupted with a bit of frustration in her voice. "I know you are trying to keep me from worrying, but it's a little unfair that you're hiding this from me."

"I'm not hiding it." He assured her. "They're just isn't any reason to tell you yet. You'll only worry the rest of the ride to Montressor and knowing you, you won't be able to get any sleep." He looked her over, seeing her crossing her arms with a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "Get some sleep, Hinata. I'll tell you before we land on Montressor."

Hinata opened her mouth to object but felt a wave of exhaustion rush over her. Her adrenaline had been keeping her awake, but she couldn't deny that the lack of sleep was getting to her. Shaking her head with an exasperated sigh, she resigned. "Fine, have it your way." She turned and began walking towards her room, not hiding the fact that she was miffed.

"Hey," Riku reached forward and grabbed her wrist, making her stop. "I promise I'll tell you everything later."

She scoffed and grumbled. "Yeah, I've heard that before."

Riku released her wrist, taken aback by her words and allowed her to walk away from him. He stared at her as she left, feeling a sudden rush of guilt. Shaking his head, he turned and began heading back up the stairs to see Mickey.

"Wait Riku," Hinata's voice made him stop mid-step; but he didn't turn to look at her. "I'm so sorry I just said that." She quickly apologized to him and stammered, "I-I'm really exhausted and stressed and… I never should have brought that up. I'm sorry."

Riku turned back to see Hinata standing at the bottom of the stairs. Her eyes were staring up at him with worry and her hands were uncomfortably fidgeting in front of her.

A small smile appeared on Riku's face as he turned and walked back to Hinata. "It's alright," He assured her. "I get it."

Hinata reluctantly smiled at him and leaning on her tip toes, she gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll go get some sleep. Promise to tell me everything once I'm up?"

Riku smiled back and nodded, "I promise."

"Alright," She smiled before turning to head into the room Chip and Dale had prepared for her.

Once she closed the door behind her, Riku turned and headed back up the stairs. As he entered the cockpit he saw that Mickey had finished taking care of the Heartless. Chip and Dale were pressing various buttons on the control board, chattering to each other in tech talk. Riku sat in the white chair beside Mickey and let out a long sigh.

"How's everything going up here?" He asked.

Mickey glanced away from the navigational map in front of him and smiled. "Doing great! Thankfully there weren't that many Heartless ships, so I took care of them in a jiffy." He looked at Riku, noticing the way his shoulders were tense. "What's wrong?"

A frown tugged at the corner of Riku's mouth and he shrugged, "It's nothing."

"Gosh Riku, you know you can tell me anything." Mickey told him, "We're pals, right?"

Taking a deep breath, Riku nodded and sent Mickey a small smile, "Yeah, you're right. I guess… I'm just having a hard time taking in everything that's happened."

"To Hinata?" He asked to clarify.

Riku nodded, "Yeah… She was on some planet I'd never seen before; but Vexen was there."

"Vexen?!" Mickey repeated with surprise. "But I thought Vexen was no longer a Member."

"I did too," He agreed. "Hinata told me he was a replica."

"Hmm…" Mickey mulled it over for a moment. "If Vexen has a replica I wonder what other Organization Members have them too." When Riku only nodded in response, he asked. "Did Hinata tell you what she saw there?"

Shaking his head, Riku confessed, "No, I haven't let her talk about it."

"Why not?" Mickey asked.

Riku stared out the windshield of the ship, watching the endless stars fly by them. He was silent for a minute as Mickey patiently waited for a reply. "When I rescued her… she was a wreck. In a way I've never seen her before. I don't want to make her relive any of that. You, me, and DiZ can take care of it; she won't be in danger anymore."

"Well gosh, Riku." Mickey replied, "I understand you might want to protect her, but this is sort of a big deal. We might need Hinata to help us figure out what's going on."

"What if Queen Minnie was in the same position?" Riku asked, glancing over at his small friend. "You've been keeping her out of all of the stuff happening with the Heartless and Organization."

Mickey slightly frowned and looked back to the navigational map in front of him. "Well, that's a bit different. Minnie isn't able to protect herself the same way Hinata is. I know Hinata didn't have a lot of weapons with her this time, but you and I both know she's capable of taking care of herself. I just don't feel it's entirely fair to keep Hinata out of this when she can instead be rather helpful." He looked over to Riku. "Don't ya think?"

"It doesn't matter if she's helpful or not," Riku argued, but he made sure to keep his voice calm. "In the end it matters if she's safe. If the Organization gets a hold of her again, we might not be as lucky with getting her back at the last second. We don't know what they're planning to do with her." Taking a deep breath he added, "And I don't ever want her to have to find out."

"Hmm…" Mickey contemplated Riku's words, but didn't reply right away. After a couple minutes he asked, "Well, what does Hinata have to say about it?"

He sighed, "She said she understood if DiZ wanted to ground her to the mansion; which he was already planning on doing after what happened at Atlantis."

"What happened at Atlantis?" Mickey asked.

"She let Demyx and Luxord get away even though she had the chance to stop them." He explained, before groaning. "She gets herself into a lot of trouble."

"She follows her heart, no matter what anyone else says." Mickey smiled. "And I think that's why you should let her decide whether or not she wants to help with everything going on with the Organization." He noticed Riku's frown but explained. "You have to let her make her own decisions, even if you don't entirely agree with her. When someone is following their heart you can't interfere."

Riku was silent for a moment, not wanting to admit he understood and somewhat agreed with what Mickey was saying. Exhaling deeply, he softly spoke. "You're right. It has to be her choice."

"But no matter her choice, you have to make sure she doesn't make it alone." Mickey reminded him. "Sometimes you have to let other people in to help out, like you did with me back at Castle Oblivion!"

A small smirk appeared on his face as he remembered, but he didn't say anything in reply. The friends fell to a comfortable silence, both of them staring out at the passing stars and planets for several minutes. Eventually Riku stood from his seat.

"I'm going to head downstairs." He told Mickey as he walked towards the stairs.

Mickey nodded and told him. "Alright, I'll let you know when we reach Montressor."

"Thanks." Riku smiled before adding. "And… thanks for talking with me."

"Sure!" Mickey chimed, "That's what pals are for."

"Yeah," Riku chuckled before turning to head down the stairs.

As he came below deck he looked between the door to Hinata's room to the fridge in the kitchen. He reached his hand over his coat pocket, feeling the lump inside of it and decided to make his way towards the fridge. Opening the door, he felt the cold air rush into him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a yellow star-shaped fruit. He momentarily stared down at the paopu fruit in his hand remembering when he had grabbed it on the island shortly after taking off his jacket. His heart fluttered nervously as he placed it on the top shelf of the mostly empty fridge and he closed the door.

Turning back around he headed towards Hinata's door, quietly opening it to enter the surprisingly dark room. There was a single porthole window looking out at the passing space outside and below it was a twin size bed bolted to the ground with a red comforter that still seemed bright despite the dimness in the room. A single lamp was hanging off the wall, the bulb was a star-shape with a thin chain dangling off the side of it. In the bed Hinata lay fast asleep. She had the blanket wrapped around herself like a snug cocoon, her red hair blending in with the color of the comforter as she slept.

Riku walked further into the room, having no trouble navigating to the bed, despite the almost complete blackness around him. He knelt down to Hinata's level and placed his hand on her cheek.

She sleepily fluttered her eyes open, seeing Riku in front of her. "Are we there?" She asked with a drowsy whisper.

"Not yet," He replied with a quiet voice. "I was just wondering if you could move over."

A small sleepy smile appeared on her face and she happily obliged. Riku stood up and unzipped his jacket, folding it before placing it on the floor. He took off his boots and set them beside Hinata's before climbing into the thin bed with her, pulling the comforter over both of them. It was a tight fit, but Hinata quickly snuggled into him, making it cozy rather than uncomfortable. She nuzzled her head into his chest, getting comfy as if she were a cat. Riku held back a snicker, half expecting her to mew at him as she cuddled against him. Within minutes Hinata was asleep again, Riku lightly ran his hand up and down her back as her breathing slowed to a sleeping state. His other hand was rested behind his head, supporting him as he stared out the small porthole window at the stars whizzing past them. Thoughts about the past couple of days bogged his mind, but despite them he slowly drifted off to sleep.

A cheery chime awoke both of them with a slight startle. Riku quickly opened his eyes out of instinct and took a moment to remember where they were. He felt Hinata yawn beside him, her head still resting on his chest as Mickey's voice came over an intercom.

"Just so you know we'll be reaching Montresor's orbit in a few minutes." He told them, before cutting out.

Riku used his free hand and reached for the thin chain hanging off the star-lamp, pulling it to turn the light on. A surprisingly not bright yellow light illuminated the room. Riku smiled when he felt Hinata rub her hand along his chest as she slowly woke up.

She yawned again before asking, "Does this mean I have to get up?"

Riku chuckled, "Yeah, afraid so. We both do." He stared up at the ceiling for a moment before adding. "And it means you get to find out about everything that happened."

Hinata nodded wordlessly before telling him. "In a few minutes."

"Alright," He agreed, pulling her closer to him and enjoying the peaceful moment.

They almost fell back asleep in each other's arms until Mickey came back over the intercom. "Ok! We're right above Montressor. I can beam you both down whenever you're ready."

Riku sighed as his mind woke back up and he began to sit up, making Hinata move as well. "Come on, let's get moving."

Hinata nodded and rubbed her eyes. Sitting at the edge of the bed she began putting her boots back on while Riku put on his coat.

"Are you ready to hear about everything that happened?" Riku asked, making Hinata look up at him.

When Hinata reluctantly nodded as she stood up, he looked around the room and saw the grated speaker where Mickey's voice had come out of with a red button underneath it. Riku reached forward and pressed it.

Within seconds Mickey's voice came through the speakers. "What's up?" Mickey asked.

"I'm going to tell Hinata about everything before we beam down, if that's alright." Riku told him.

"Sure thing Riku!" Mickey replied, "I'll be up here if you need me."

"Thanks." Riku replied before pressing the button again to cut the call. He looked at Hinata and told her. "You're going to want to sit down."

Hinata frowned as she slowly sat back down at the edge of the bed. She silently listened to Riku as he began to retell everything that had happened after she had been taken. Tears welled up in her eyes when she heard about Sam and she couldn't help but begin to cry. Riku comforted her, repeatedly assuring her it wasn't her fault. Eventually he got her to calm down enough that he was able to continue telling her how he and Mickey were able to track her.

Bringing out Jack's collar from his pocket he told her. "The Atlantean crystal was able to power this up enough to take both me and Mickey to you on one trip; but by the time Axel took you again it was low on power."

"So it only had enough for one person." Hinata surmised with tears in her voice, her mind was still bogged with heavy thoughts about Sam and everything that had happened.

Riku nodded, "Yeah, so I took the trip and Mickey called Chip and Dale to bring the ship to him so they could come pick us up." He sat down beside Hinata and told her. "I was surprised that we were close enough to the island to make a connection with the Corridor. It was just the first place I could think of."

Hinata numbly nodded in response, not having anything to say. She absently stared down at her hands in her lap, not even noticing as Riku stood from the bed and left the room. Every time her mind even thought of Sam's name, her eyes would sting with tears and her heart would twist. Guilt was rising inside of her and it took everything in her not to completely break down again.

Riku was soon back in the room, his hand over one of his pockets. He walked over to Hinata and knelt in front of her so she could see him. "I know it's a lot to take in." He told her. "That's why I was putting off telling you for so long."

She shook her head and struggled to speak. "I understand… it's just, I was totally unaware, having a great time with you on the island and sleeping peacefully here on the ship while Sam's back on Montressor…" Her voice broke. "I can't imagine what she's going through right now." She closed her eyes as more tears threatened to run down her cheeks. Riku placed his hands over hers, making her look up at him.

"She's going to be a lot better once she knows you're safe." He assured her with a small smile. "She was really worried about you. Everyone is."

Hinata inhaled sharply, her throat throbbing from her crying. She retracted one of her hands from Riku, wiping away her tears and regaining her composure. Momentarily closing her eyes, she calmed herself down and replied. "You're right. They're waiting for me."

"Yeah," he replied, giving her hands a small squeeze. He stood and pulled on her hands, helping her stand with him. "They're going to be relieved to see you safe." He lifted one of his hands and brushed away a stray tear. "I know I was."

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, inhaling deeply to keep her emotions under control. "I don't know how I'll handle seeing Sam." She confessed with a whisper.

"It will be alright." He assured her. "She doesn't want to talk about what happened to her, so just try not to mention it."

Hinata slowly nodded and opened her eyes as Riku turned around and left the room. She followed after him, numbly going up the stairs to the cockpit. Once they were up there they could see the planet of Montressor through the glass windshield. Hinata looked out at the seemingly peaceful planet below and took a deep breath.

"You ready to head back?" Mickey asked both of them as they entered the cockpit.

"Yeah," Riku told him, kneeling down to his level. "Are you heading out?"

Mickey nodded, "I'd love to stay but I'm needed elsewhere." He glanced over at Hinata and told her. "Don't hesitate to call for help when you need it. I'm never too busy to help my pals."

Hinata gave him a half-smile, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He smiled, before looking back to Riku and telling him. "Before I send you down, I noticed that there are Heartless on the planet."

Riku nodded, "Yeah, they got there faster than I expected."

"Heartless aren't supposed to be in this galaxy." Mickey told him. "They must have gotten in when the border was broken."

"Can you fix the border with your Keyblade?" Riku asked, noticing the way Hinata frowned at the question.

Mickey sighed, "If it were a world border I would be able to, but I've never dealt with a galaxy border. I wouldn't even know where to begin with it." He thought about it for a moment before saying, "Master Yen Sid might have an idea though. I'll go ask him."

"Master Yen Sid?" Riku repeated.

"He's my teacher; he taught me how to wield a Keyblade." Mickey explained. "If anyone would know how to close the border to this galaxy, it's him!"

Riku nodded, "Well alright, let us know if you find out anything."

"Will do," Mickey replied.

"We're ready to beam you down whenever you're ready!" Dale called out to them from the control board.

Riku looked over to Hinata as she silently stood beside him and nodded. "We're ready."

"Good luck!" Chip and Dale told them.

"Thanks," Riku replied, giving a small nod to Mickey before being surrounded by a bright light.

In seconds they appeared on Montressor in front of the hospital. Hinata looked up at the tall building towering above them and shivered as the cold winter winds brushed past her.

"Are you ready?" Riku asked her.

Swallowing a growing lump in her throat, Hinata nodded.

"Sam's in there." Riku told her. "She's on the third floor in room 328."

Hinata nodded and asked quietly. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I can't come with you." He admitted. When Hinata turned to look at him with surprise he explained. "I was supposed to be a patient here when I was sick and after Mickey healed me we just teleported out to find you." He looked up at the hospital and let out a breath. "I'd imagine the doctors are wondering where I am; so… it would be better if I stayed out here."

Hinata reluctantly nodded, "Alright, I'll go in by myself."

"Either James or Jim should be there too." He assured her. "One of them stayed with Sam overnight."

"Where will you be?" She asked.

"I guess I'll go to the Benbo and let everyone know you're safe." He replied. He examined her worried expression and reached over to grab her hand. Giving it a small squeeze he told her. "It's going to be fine."

She slightly frowned at his words and she shook her head. "How can you know that? My best friend is in that hospital without an arm because I was careless."

"It's not your fault." He assured her. "Ben is the one that called you there after I told him not to. And Axel was the one that shot that fire blast. If you want to blame someone, it's them."

"I never should have let Sam and Jim come with me to help you." She replied. "I knew neither of them would be able to handle an Organization Member. And if…"

"You can come up with what-ifs all day; but what happened happened." Riku interrupted her. "If I could change what happened yesterday I would, but in the end I can't. You can't blame yourself for something you didn't know would happen."

She was silent for a moment before quietly replying, "We shouldn't blame Ben then either."

"That's not the same thing." He objected.

"It is though." She looked at him. "I know he can be a lot to handle, but I know he didn't mean what happened." She drifted her gaze back to the hospital. "None of us did."

Riku stared at her for a moment before saying. "I don't get why you're so ready to forgive him but not yourself."

She shrugged, "Well, he's a robot that just got back his mind. I think we should cut him some slack." A small smile hinted on her lips at the end of her sentence.

He let out a faint chuckle in response and looked down at their clasped hands. They were silent for a moment, before he squeezed her hand. "Are you going to be alright?"

She stared up at the hospital and nodded, "I think so. I'm nervous to see Sam, but… I also need to see her. I want to help her any way I can.

Riku sadly smiled at her words and reached into his pocket; pulling out the communications device. "If you need me for anything I'll just be a call away. And I promise to answer this time."

Hinata half-smiled at his joke and told him. "Alright; I should head in."

"Yeah," He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you soon."

She gave him a small smile before moving forward. Riku watched her as she entered the hospital before disappearing into a Corridor of Darkness. Hinata walked past the front glass doors leading into the main hall of the hospital. A green garland was hung along the wall for Christmas day, but everything else was dreary and cold. Doctors rushed from room to room, paying no mind to Hinata as she aimlessly found her way to the third floor.

Hinata stared up at the hospital door, her heart pounding and her throat dry. Taking a deep breath, she whispered under her breath, "I can do this…"

Lifting her hand, she gently pushed open the door. A soft mechanical beeping was the only sound as she entered the room. There were chairs situated randomly around the room but nobody was in them. The only person there was Sam sleeping silently in the hospital bed, completely unaware anyone was there. Hinata silently closed the door behind her as she looked around. Soft sunlight poured in through a large window along the wall showing through the thin cream colored curtain pulled in front of it. Ever so slowly, Hinata approached Sam, her steps light and hesitant. As she reached her bedside, she felt a lump growing in her throat. Sam appeared to be peaceful. One of her hands wrapped around the Atlantean crystal that hung from her neck and a wool blanket was covering her left shoulder.

Lifting her hand, she was about to move away the blanket, but was startled when the door to the room opened. She looked behind her to see James standing in the doorway with his mouth agape and his turquoise eyes wide.

"Hinata?" He said her name in almost disbelief, his voice hushed.

She uneasily smiled back, unsure of what to say to him.

James smiled and rushed forward, pulling Hinata into a sudden hug. He tightly held her in his arms and let out a breath of relief. "You have no idea how worried I was."

Hinata's cheeks flushed from the sudden contact, but she reluctantly hugged him back. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Pulling enough away so he could see her face, he asked, "What are you sorry about? It wasn't your fault."

Rather than respond, Hinata simply averted her gaze towards Sam beside them.

James stared at her for a moment before asking, "What happened?"

Hinata opened her mouth but paused, not sure where to even begin. Letting out a breath she simply replied. "A lot." She frowned and looked back up at James. "How have you been holding up?"

He released his hold on her and took a step back. Looking over at Sam he contemplated what to say. "I haven't really been able to wrap my mind around it all." He eventually confessed. Rubbing his hand along the back of his neck he vented, "Two days ago I was looking forward to a relaxing Christmas with my family, but now… I'm not even sure when we'll get to leave the hospital; let alone what's going to happen to the shop. In the matter of a couple hours our entire lives were turned upside down." He shook his head and glanced at Sam's arm. "I can't imagine what Sam is feeling. With how she handled dad's disappearance I can't imagine she's doing well."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

James looked over at her and explained. "After dad died Sam refused to talk about it with anyone. She doesn't talk about how she feels, she just pretends everything's fine. And the few hours she's been awake she hasn't even looked at her arm."

"That's pretty understandable though, isn't it?" Hinata asked, looking over at Sam.

"Well, yeah, but long term…" He began to tell her.

"She'll be fine." Hinata assured him. "We shouldn't rush her."

"Yeah I know," He agreed with her with a sigh. "I'm just worried about her."

Hinata nodded and fully turned towards Sam. She examined her in silence for a moment before quietly asking. "Will she wake up soon?"

James walked up beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder, "I'm not sure. She stayed up all night with Jim. She couldn't sleep."

"Where is Jim?" She asked.

"Once the sun started coming up I told him to head home to get some rest." He explained. "I've been in here ever since. Well, until I went to get some breakfast a little bit ago."

At the mention of food, Hinata's stomach rumbled. She placed her hand over her stomach and realized she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning.

James softly chuckled, "Speaking of which, let's go get you some food."

"I'm fine; I want to be here when she wakes up." Hinata waved him off.

"She's going to be sleeping a while." James told her, slightly pulling on her arm. "Come on, we'll make sure to be quick. The cafeteria is only a floor down."

Hinata's resolve melted away as her stomach once again rumbled. Letting out a breath, she resigned and allowed James to lead her out of the room. As the door closed behind them, Sam slowly began to stir from her sleep; mumbling under her breath and randomly twitching. Her voice gradually became louder and her heart rate accelerated. Giving a yell, she suddenly sat up and shot her eyes open. Her chest heaving, she frantically looked around the empty hospital room; taking a moment to realize where she was.

Realizing she was having a nightmare, she lay back on the mattress and stared up at the ceiling of the room. She allowed her heartrate to slow back down before looking around the room. All the chairs were empty and for the first time since she had been there, everything was silent. Her left arm shot a spike of pain through her making her wince. She reached her right hand over to it, but there was nothing there to grasp. Even with her left arm being gone, she could still feel it as if it were there. A lump formed in her throat as she realized she had reached for something that no longer existed. Taking a shaking breath, she forced herself to look out the hospital window, trying to focus on the details outside and keep her mind off what was happening. However, with no one there to distract her, she could think of nothing else. Tears stung the corners of her eyes as she became overwhelmed and she slowly began to break down. Her entire body shook as everything she was desperately trying to avoid came crashing down on her.

Her eyes were tightly closed as she sobbed. She didn't notice the door to her room slowly open as James and Hinata entered holding snacks in their arms. Hinata was replying to something James had said but stopped short when she saw Sam weeping. Dropping everything in her arms, she rushed to Sam's side. Without letting Sam know she was there, she wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly. Sam didn't even question who was holding her, but instead wrapped her arm around Hinata's back and buried her face into her neck as she cried.

"W-why did this have to happen?" Sam weakly asked between sobs. "What did I do to deserve this?" Her shoulders heaved and she struggled to regain her breath. "What am I going to do?"

Hinata fought off the urge to cry and instead ran her hand comfortingly along her friend's back. She glanced over at James, seeing him standing in the doorway to the room speechless as he watched his sister breaking down.

"You're going to get through this." Hinata whispered back to Sam. "I know you are."

Sam's movements momentarily paused once she heard Hinata's voice. Pulling away from her ever so slightly so she could see who was holding her, her eyes widened. "H-Hinata?" She asked with a raspy voice.

Hinata smiled and nodded before telling her. "When I first met you I couldn't believe how much you had accomplished for being so young; but then you went and built me that amazing ship. You aren't even sixteen yet and you almost singlehandedly run a business and take care of your family. That's how I know you are going to get through this. You're going to find a way to make this work and it's going to be amazing."

Sam tried to smile back but instead quickly shook her head. "This is different." She told her. "How am I supposed to do anything like this?"

"You'll figure it out." James spoke up, causing Sam to look over at him. He stepped over the snacks Hinata had dropped on the floor and moved to her bedside. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he told her. "Hinata's right, you're amazing. If anyone can conquer this, it's you."

She was silent for a moment, looking between her brother and best friend. Reaching her hand back from Hinata she wiped away her tears. "You guys think too highly of me." She told them before inhaling deeply and admitting. "But you're right… I can get through this." Swallowing hard, she finished, "…Somehow."

Hinata released her hold on Sam and resigned to standing beside her bed. She continued to rub her hand along her back and agreed, "You will. And we're going to be here for you every step of the way."

Sam shook her head, "Don't you have a universe to save?"

"I can call." Hinata told her. "But if you really needed me, I could just bring you back to Twilight Town with me." She shrugged with a bit of a smirk, attempted to lighten the mood.

"Don't even joke about that." James sent Hinata a look.

"I don't know…" Sam quietly spoke up as she still tried to regain her composure. "I wouldn't mind going there sometime."

"Not with that border that could close at any time." James adamantly told them with a bit of authority in his voice.

Sam frowned from James' words but didn't say anything in reply. Looking up at Hinata she asked. "What happened to you?"

"It's… kinda a long story." She admitted.

Looking around the room, Sam told her. "Well it's not like I'm planning on going anywhere any time soon."

"I suppose that's true." She replied with a small laugh. "It's just, Riku told me not to talk about it."

"We won't tell him you told us if you don't." James shrugged. "It's not like we're going to understand more than half of what you tell us anyways."

"Yeah, I guess so." Hinata half-heartedly agreed.

"Well come on," Sam told her. She scooched over in her bed and patted beside her. "Sit down and tell us what happened. I could use a good distraction about now."

Hinata sat down on the mattress beside Sam and reluctantly began retelling the events of everything that had happened since they were separated the day before. Sam and James occasionally interrupted asking various questions, but listened intently. When she had finished, the siblings were surprisingly quiet in thought.

After a few minutes James asked, "And you have no idea what the Organization could want with you?"

Hinata shook her head. "No idea whatsoever. I know they don't want me to become a Member of the Organization and they don't plan on cloning me, which I don't know why they would do that in the first place… so I don't know."

"Didn't you tell me that Riku had a clone type thing created of him?" Sam asked.

"Uh, yeah, Vexen made a replica of him." Hinata replied, "Why?"

"Isn't a replica the same thing as cloning?" Sam asked.

Hinata thought about it for a moment before telling her. "Sort of… but a clone is an exact copy; while Riku's replica was different than him. His replica accepted the darkness inside of him while Riku rejected it."

"They can do that with replicas?" James asked. "Make them feel differently about things than their original host does?"

"I don't know how, but yeah." Hinata nodded. "I don't understand why you guys are asking about it though."

"Just coming up with theories I guess." Sam shrugged. "The Organization could want you for all sorts of things. And they're going through a lot of trouble to get you. Isn't there enough crazy shit going on in your galaxy to distract them from you?"

"You would think so." Hinata sighed. "But in all honesty they aren't really trying that hard to capture me. I mean, if they really desperately wanted me they would send all their members at once to capture me; not one every once and a while at their convenience." She leaned back on the bed, lying down beside Sam. "It just doesn't make any sense. But now because of them I have to be grounded to the mansion back at Twilight Town. I won't be able to go on missions anymore and I doubt they will let me visit here very often."

Both Sam and James fell silent from her words. Sam stared up at the ceiling of the room, something obviously on her mind. After a couple minutes she looked over to her brother and asked him.

"Hey, James?" She asked. When he looked over at her she asked. "Can you go get me something to drink?"

"There's a pitcher of water…" he began to tell her, pointing behind him.

"I mean something good." She interrupted.

Letting out a breath, he stood from the bed and nodded, "Sure I'll head down to the cafeteria." Giving a small wave he turned and walked out of the room.

Once the door closed behind him, Sam looked over at Hinata and told her. "I'm going back to Twilight Town with you."


	27. Consolation

Chapter 27

*** Summary: (I wanted to try putting a short summary of previous chapters before new chapters, to refresh everyone's memory) We are in the middle of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. Riku took Hinata on a surprise Christmas trip to Montressor; however, while there, Axel, attacked. In the process of him attacking, he kidnapped Hinata and burned Sam so severely that her left arm ended up being amputated.

King Mickey and Riku were able to rescue Hinata, but not before she found herself in a strange cloning facility on a planet called Kamino. There she found labs filled with Heartless and Vexen's Replica. The reason for the Organization wanting Hinata is still unknown.

Upon returning to Montressor, Hinata was finally able to see Sam and learn of her missing arm. Hinata shared what happened when she was kidnapped and confessed that she will be grounded to the mansion once she gets back to Twilight Town. Hearing this, Sam told her that she wished to go back to Twilight Town with Hinata. ***

Hinata immediately sprang up from the bed, "What?!" she exclaimed. "Where the heck did that come from?"

"You said yourself that you won't be able to go on missions anymore," Sam reminded her. "Maybe I could go instead."

"No way," She adamantly shook her head. "One, you are in no condition to go anywhere, let alone to go on life-threatening missions. Two, your brother would flip if you just left Montressor. Three…"

"I don't need a list, alright?" Sam interrupted her with exasperation in her voice. "You don't think I know all these things? I've wanted to leave Montressor for years, but then after dad left I had to give up everything to make sure my family was supported. I'm fifteen! I was only thirteen at the time! It's about time I get to make my own decisions."

"But this isn't some sort of fun vacation." Hinata told her. "Working for DiZ is tough. Every mission Riku and I go on, we don't know what we're going to find or even if we'll make it back. I agree that you deserve some freedom, but coming back with me to Twilight Town isn't the right choice." She motioned towards Sam's arm. "Plus… you're not really in any condition to travel."

Sam scowled, "Look, I get it, my arm's gone. Alright?" She glared up at Hinata, seeing the surprised and hurt look in her eyes. Letting out a breath, she calmed down and explained. "I know I'm never going to be the same person I was before. I doubt I'll ever be working on a ship again any time soon; I'll probably have to close the shop. There is nothing for me here anymore. Everything I built for myself is gone."

"Your friends and family are still here." Hinata told her. "And what about Jim?"

"He's already gone at the Academy all the time, which is honestly where I was hoping to go until this catastrophe." She shook her head. "We're already long distance. And if the shop closes, who knows what James will do. He'll probably get back into sleeping around getting drunk all the time. I'm going to end up alone with nowhere to go… just like my mom."

Hinata uncomfortably shifted her weight when she heard about James' past habits, but she cleared her throat and replied. "Sam, I know everything basically got turned upside down, but you can't make such a brash decision like this. Jim cares so much about you; say the word and he would probably drop out of the Academy to be with you."

"I would never ask him to do that," Sam mumbled.

"I know, but… you know he would." Hinata told her. "And I know you keep saying that James used to be into all that stuff before, but he's different now. He's going to be there for you. What you need to be doing is focusing on healing and then you can figure out what you want to do. You don't have to worry about medical bills or living expenses, I'm already giving you all that gold I got from Atlantis."

Sam shook her head, "I can't stay here, Hinata. It was so hard seeing you leave a few months ago. You have these crazy adventures and can do whatever you want; while I'm stuck in this hellhole working my ass off for a family who doesn't even appreciate it. I want to be a part of what you do. Do something that's actually important." Hinata opened her mouth to respond, but Sam added. "And I know without my arm… I wouldn't be very helpful; but..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I have been thinking about a mechanical arm. I've seen people all over Montressor with them and I think with some help I could make my own." She looked over to Hinata and told her. "With that I'd be able to do a lot more, maybe even fight."

Hinata stared at Sam for a moment, thinking it over. Letting out a breath, she stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed. "Sam, I get where you're coming from." She replied softly. "But, even if I agreed the final decision would be up to DiZ and he's going to take a lot more convincing."

"Then call him and let me talk to him." Sam told her. "I'll convince him."

With a sigh, Hinata reached into her pocket to pull out the communications device, but stopped short when the door to the room opened. James walked in carrying a bottle of blue liquid and was followed by a feline nurse.

"Good Morning Samantha," The nurse greeted, not noticing Sam cringe at the use of her full name. "Let's check your arm today."

Hinata stuffed the communications device back into her pocket and stepped back to allow the nurse room. She walked to be beside James as the nurse began unwrapping the bandages around Sam's left arm. Sam tightly closed her eyes when she felt the air hit her wound. Even with all the medication flowing into her from the IV, she still felt the pain.

Trying to ignore the nauseous feeling in her stomach, Hinata examined the roughly scabbed and severely bruised bump that was once Sam's arm. Hinata swallowed hard and forced herself to look away. She noticed the blue Atlantean crystal hanging around Sam's neck and suddenly got an idea. Clearing her throat, she spoke up and asked the nurse. "How long will Sam be here at the hospital?"

Without looking away from Sam, the nurse replied. "Recovery should take up to two weeks. After that we can begin rehabilitation, which could take anywhere from four to eight weeks."

"So she could be here for up to three months?" James asked.

"Well not exactly." The nurse corrected. She began sanitizing Sam's arm and removing excess dead skin. "With rehabilitation she should be able to be home. She would just have to come in every week for checkups."

"What if she were to get a robotic arm?" Hinata asked. "Would she do that during the rehabilitation time?"

The nurse began wrapping Sam's arm up in new clean bandages as she answered. "It depends on where she receives her new arm from or if she can afford it." She turned towards Hinata and James with a small smile. "But all of that can be discussed after she heals." Looking back to Sam, she told her. "If there is anything you need, feel free to let any of the doctors know. You appear to be healing quite nicely."

Sam strained a smile and shortly nodded, but didn't say anything in reply. The nurse gave a small nod to the others before turning and leaving the room. Once the door closed behind her, Hinata walked up to the side of her bed.

"I have an idea of how to heal your arm quicker." Hinata told her.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

Hinata reached forward and picked up the Atlantean crystal that was hanging from Sam's neck. "Did Ben ever tell you what this is?"

She shook her head. "He said it was from some place called Atlantis and it seems powerful, but I don't know what it does."

"It's the life source of the Atlanteans." Hinata explained. "Each person in Atlantis had one of these crystals around their neck and it powers everything in their society."

"Powers everything?" Sam asked. "Like electricity?"

"Like that, but a whole lot more powerful," Hinata told her. "It also keeps their bodies healthy and can heal them." Sam's eyes widened a bit as Hinata added, "And I think it might be able to heal your arm. It won't be able to replace your arm entirely, but it should be able to heal what's left."

"How does it work?" James asked.

"When I had it heal me, all I had to do was tap the crystal on the injury and then cover it with my hand." She looked to Sam. "So it might hurt a bit when I heal it."

"And you're sure it will work?" James asked.

"It healed every cut I've ever gotten," Hinata told him. "And I've had some pretty bad ones. I mean, there's a chance it might not work entirely, but I think it's worth a shot."

James thought about it for a moment, "I don't know… should we really be trying to speed up the healing process? What if it messes something up in her arm or somehow causes an infection?"

"I want to do it." Sam spoke up. "I don't want to sit here in the hospital for months."

James turned to Sam. "Are you sure that's such a good…"

"James, please." Sam looked up at her brother. "Let me make this decision for myself. It's my body and I want to try it."

"I wasn't trying to say you couldn't decide for yourself," He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I just want to make sure you think this through."

"I am," Sam assured him before lifting the crystal over her head and handing it to Hinata. "Do it."

Hinata glanced uneasily between the siblings before nodding. She went to the other side of the bed where Sam's stubbed arm was wrapped in bandages. Taking off the bandages, she held quickly looked away from the sight. Swallowing hard she held up the crystal with a shaking hand and got ready to place it against Sam's feverish skin.

James walked up behind her and placed his hand over her shaking one, to stabilize her motion. "Are you alright?" He asked her.

She quickly nodded, "Yeah, just nervous. I really hope it works."

"It will." Sam assured her. Her gaze was fixed on the window, staring outside to avoid looking at her arm. "Just do it."

"Alright," Hinata told her.

She glanced up at James over her shoulder and nodded at him. With his help they touched the tip of the crystal against the cleanest area of her wound. The moment it made contact a bright light emanated from the crystal, transferring to Sam's skin. She grimaced from the sensation, holding back a whimper. As the glow from the crystal began covering the entire wound, Hinata removed the crystal and hesitated in putting her hand over it. James grabbed the back of her hand and placed it over Sam's arm, keeping it there with his hand. The shine of the crystal seeped in between their fingers, lighting the entire room. Sam's heartbeat elevated and her chest began heaving as she felt her arm healing.

As quickly as it began the glow faded away. Ever so slowly, James released his hand, allowing Hinata's to remove hers. All three of them waited in anticipation to see the state of Sam's arm; letting out sighs of relief when they saw the result. Brand new skin covered the end of her arm.

"It worked," Hinata grinned. She looked down at her hand that had small drops of blood and scabbing tissue over her skin. "I can't believe I actually did that."

"The bathroom's over there if you want to clean off." James quickly told her, motioning to a small door by the exit. Hinata nodded and quickly walked off and James walked up to Sam's bedside. "How are you feeling?"

Sam was staring at her healed arm in shocked silence. "I…" She tried to speak. "I can barely believe what just happened. That was some crazy magic… and I thought I'd seen everything."

James chuckled. "Yeah, I can't believe that actually worked. That crystal could have come in handy when we were growing up. And it could probably come in handy at the shop."

Sam looked up at him. "The shop?"

"Yeah," He ran his hand through his hair and explained. "I have been thinking about it and I should take up the responsibility for the shop now. After everything that's happened I can't expect you to get back into everything. So… I thought I could work on the ships. Basically run the whole shop like you did when dad first died." He looked at her with uncertainty, "What do you think?"

Sam slightly frowned and confessed, "I… I think we should close the shop."

"Really?" His eyes slightly widened. "But we just started picking up business with it and hired people."

"I know," She interrupted. "It's just that… I don't think you can handle working on the ships." She glanced up at him and added. "No offense. And the workers we hired aren't anything worth bragging about; so… maybe it's time."

"But, but you can't," James quickly blurted. "It's a family business that dad took from our granddad. We can't just drop a family tradition like that, it's our responsibility…"

"James, stop!" Sam exclaimed. James quickly fell silent and Sam took a deep breath. "Let's not talk about this right now."

James frowned but nodded, "Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't have bombarded you like that."

"Yeah I know," She replied, slightly smirking when he gave her an unappreciative look in response.

"Everything alright in here?" Hinata asked as she reentered the room from the bathroom.

"Yeah, we're good," James assured her as he walked over to her. "That was amazing, what you just did."

As he talked with Hinata, Sam looked over at her healed arm. It was completely smooth, covered with new fresh skin. Staring at it, she realized that she no longer had any reason to stay there in the hospital bed. With hurried movements, she grabbed the top of the IV needle in her wrist and pulled it out; ignoring the bead of blood that dripped out of the puncture wound once the needle was out. She took off the rest of the equipment monitoring her heartrate and vitals and stood from the bed; getting Hinata and James' attention.

"What do you think you're doing?" James scolded her as he turned around to face her.

"Hinata healed me," She told him, "I'm getting out of here."

"You haven't been checked out yet," James told her. "Let me go get one of the nurses."

He turned to leave but Hinata grabbed his arm. "Actually, that's probably a bad idea."

"Why?" He asked.

"Her arm went from just beginning to be scab to completely healed in minutes." Hinata reminded him. "Magic is normal in my galaxy, but out here it isn't a thing. How do you think the doctors are going to react when they see Sam?"

"That's true," Sam agreed. "They probably wouldn't let me leave and would do crazy tests on me."

James frowned, "Well alright, what do you want to do then. We can't just sneak her out."

"We could," Hinata shrugged as she reached into her pants pocket. "I'll just call Riku and he can use a Corridor to get us out."

"Great idea!" Sam agreed.

"No, no, no," James waved his hands in front of him, quickly shutting them down. "I don't know what is with you guys. You can't just disappear from a hospital. The doctors are still searching for Riku after he suddenly went missing." He looked over to Sam, "Plus, didn't you give the hospital our address when they admitted you?'

"Yeah, I didn't put down our real address," Sam confessed.

"What is wrong with you guys?" He exclaimed, looking between them. "Both of you lied on official documents? You can't do that!"

"When did Hinata lie?" Sam asked.

"Basically everything I wrote in the paperwork for my ship." Hinata confessed with a smile and shrug.

Sam stared at her for a second before laughing, "Seriously?"

"Look, it's not funny," James scolded both of them. "It's completely illegal and irresponsible."

Sam scoffed, "Look who's talking about being irresponsible. Do you even remember the guy you were before we met Hinata?"

James opened his mouth to reply, but Hinata cut in. "I'm just calling Riku, alright? If you want to stay here at the hospital and explain what happened James, be my guest."

She turned away from the siblings and called Riku on her communications device. Within minutes he arrived at the hospital room in a Corridor and allowed the three friends to leave the room through the portal. Sam dragged her brother into the portal and once all four of them were through, the portal vanished from the hospital room. Not much was said between them as they walked through the darkness and soon they reached the light at the end of the Corridor. They appeared back in front of the Benbo Inn where everyone was waiting. Amelia and Doppler quickly hugged Hinata as they told her how worried they were and how glad they were that she was safe.

Sarah made a celebratory dinner for everyone as Hinata and Sam explained what had happened and how Sam was healed so quickly. During the dinner, Riku received a call from DiZ and had to excuse himself outside to answer it. Once he came back inside he informed Hinata that DiZ needed them back in Twilight Town the following day. Hearing the news, Hinata left to head upstairs to her room to pack her things.

She zipped up her suitcase on top of the bed and grabbed the handle to bring it out to the living room. As she opened the door of the bedroom she noticed Sam silently sitting on the long couch in the next room. She glanced up at Hinata with a lost look in her eyes before glancing back down at her single hand in her lap.

Hinata let out a breath as she placed her suitcase on the floor and walked over to her friend. "Everything alright?" She asked her as she sat on the couch beside her.

"Sort of…" Sam slowly replied. "I could just feel everyone staring at me and wanted to get away."

Hinata frowned and placed her hand on Sam's shoulder. "Things are going to take a while to smooth over."

Sam nodded silently before reluctantly asking. "Have you talked to DiZ at all?"

"Riku did," Hinata told her. "Why?'

"I was just wondering if you were going to talk to him about me…" Sam forced the words out.

"Oh… no I haven't yet." Hinata slowly answered.

"Can you call him now?" Sam asked, looking over at Hinata.

"Sam…" Hinata began to say.

"Please, Hinata." Sam pleaded. "At least let me try convincing him."

Hinata stared at Sam for a moment before resigning, "Alright." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the communications device. Swallowing hard, she pressed the center button on the device.

Within seconds a blue hologram of DiZ appeared over the device. He looked up at the girls. "Hinata," He greeted, "It is good to see you safe and sound."

Hinata let out a small smile, "Thanks."

"Is something the matter?" He asked.

"I uh…" Hinata tried to talk, unsure of what to say.

"I wanted to talk to you." Sam spoke up, grabbing DiZ's attention.

"What is it?" he asked her.

Sam took a deep breath and told him, "I want to go back to Twilight Town with Riku and Hinata." Before DiZ could react, she explained. "Hinata told me that she's going to be grounded to the mansion when they get back and won't be able to go on missions anymore; so I thought I could take her place."

DiZ was silent for several seconds, making Sam tense. Inhaling deeply he explained to her. "I admire your willingness to aid in our cause; however, what you wish is not possible. There is the World Order to consider, something that cannot be broken if at all possible."

"The World Order?" Sam asked.

"Every person must stay within their worlds or galaxies and cannot be taken out of them." He began to clarify.

"But what about Hinata and Riku then?" Sam interjected. "And every Member of the Organization? And…"

"Ahem," DiZ cleared his throat to stop her flow of questions. "Riku and Hinata are in a very unique situation. Their world was destroyed, thus making the World Order no longer valid to them. Since their world was recreated after Sora's endeavors last year, once their mission is complete they will return to their island. The Organization is a group of Nobodies. They do not exist in what you and I would consider living."

"What's so important about this World Order crap?" Sam asked him with irritation in her voice. "I'll just make sure to get back here to my galaxy before Sora wakes up and closes the border. I won't cause any problems."

"The border isn't the issue," He told her.

"Then what is it?" Sam asked harshly. "Because to me it sounds like you're just hiding behind a lame excuse. Do you think I won't be able to handle myself or something?"

"That is not at all the case," DiZ assured her with a tint of annoyance in his voice. "However, I do not see a reason to explicitly explain the rules of Intergalactic Travel to you since you do not seem to desire to listen. I apologize that I did not give you the answer you wished, but you will not be accompanying your friends back to Twilight Town." Before Sam could reply he abruptly cut the call.

"Dammit!" Sam yelled and hit the couch with her fist, making Hinata startle. She abruptly got up from the couch with a huff.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Hinata asked as she stood up.

"What's wrong?!" Sam exclaimed with a glare. "What are you deaf? Didn't you hear what that asshole said?"

Hinata winced from her harsh tone, but spoke calmly. "I know he didn't give the answer you were wanting…"

"And not only that, he was pissy about it too," Sam vented as she angrily paced the room. She pushed at a stray tear that streamed down her cheek and added. "It's not like I was asking much! Just a simple explanation of why!"

"Why is this so important to you?" Hinata asked. "What do you think is waiting for you in Twilight Town?"

"I don't know!" Sam cried as she stopped her pace and looked at Hinata. "I just can't stay here."

"Why not? Didn't you see everyone downstairs? They're here because they care about you."

"They're here for you!" Sam told her with a cry, making Hinata fall silent. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and explained. "You're surrounded by people who care about you; everywhere you go there are people that want to be your friend. The only thing people do for me is want things. Everyone expects me to do things. My mom expects me to take care everything while she wastes away in her room living in the past. James expects me to throw away my wants and future to keep a family business going that I never asked for!" She shook her head and muttered, "And now even with my arm being gone, I can't do any of that stuff; but they still expect me to. I can't run the shop anymore, at least not smoothly, and I can't take care of the family. I'm just… I'm useless here…"

"You are not useless," Hinata assured her softly. She walked up to Sam and placed her hands on her shoulders. "You are so amazing. The shop doesn't define you. And yeah, your family has taken you for granted since your dad's been gone; but look at how much James has changed since then. He's going to step it up at the shop if you guys do decide to keep it open. And even if you guys do end up closing it up, I know he's going to be there for you and take care of you." When Sam was silent, she added. "And what about Jim? He doesn't expect things from you. He likes you the way you are."

"And I get to see him, what, three months out of the year?" She asked. Taking a shaking breath, she tried to calm her emotions. "I get what you're trying to say, but, I can't stay here. I used to be the person that could run everything singlehandedly and did everything for everyone else; but now I can't. Everyone always wanted something from me, but now I can't give them what they want. What use am I to everyone now? If I go with you to Twilight Town I'll have a purpose, I'll be doing something that I believe in and want to do; rather than sitting here on Montressor being looked down on."

"No one is going to look down on you…" Hinata told her.

"You don't know Montressor like I do." Sam interrupted her. She looked towards the communications device lying on the couch. With a sigh, she muttered. "But I guess I'll just have to deal with it." Before Hinata could respond, she pulled out of her grasp and hastily left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Hinata stood frozen after Sam left and stared blankly at the wall as she tried to think over everything Sam had said. She didn't move until Riku entered the room some minutes later. He found her with a worried expression and walked over to her.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

Hinata forced herself from her thoughts and looked over at Riku with a forced smile. "Yeah, just thinking…"

Riku looked back at her with a knowing look. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Hinata quickly averted her gaze.

"You should know better than to lie to me," He told her with a sigh.

Hinata frowned but confessed. "It's Sam. She's suddenly on a vendetta to come back to Twilight Town with us."

"She is?" He asked with surprise.

"Yeah, but we called DiZ and he quickly vetoed the idea." She explained.

"Ah, and I'm guessing she didn't take it well." He assumed.

Hinata scoffed, "That's putting it lightly."

Riku chuckled and grabbed her hand. "Well don't worry about it. She's going through a lot right now and just needs some time." He squeezed her hand and told her. "Try not to think about it."

"Well what should I do instead?" She asked, looking over at him with a bit of a mischievous glint in her eyes.

He noticed her look with a smirk and leaned forward, giving her a sweet kiss. When he pulled away, he suggested. "We could exchange our Christmas presents."

Hinata smiled, "I'd like that."

"Good," He smiled back. "I'm going to go grab your present then." He told her as he headed back towards the door that led out of the room.

Hinata gave him a look, "Where are you keeping it that you need to leave the room?"

He chuckled, "Just sit down, I'll be right back."

As he closed the door behind him, Hinata shook her head with a smile and walked over to her suitcase. Opening it, she saw a rectangular wrapped gift sitting on the top. She grabbed it and stared at it for a moment before getting back up and making her way over to the couch. She nervously sat down on the plush cushions, wondering what Riku would think of her gift and pondering what in the world he could have gotten her.

A few more nervous moments passed before Riku reentered the room holding a cube box in his hand, wrapped with a shimmering blue paper. With an uncommon uneasiness, he closed the door behind him and walked over to the couch. As he sat down beside her, he cleared his throat and hesitantly handed her the small box.

She took it from him with a slight giggle and told him. "It's just a present, you know. You don't have to be so nervous."

He timidly laughed in response. "Yeah I know."

"Well do you want to open yours first?" She asked him, handing him the rectangular box.

"Uh, sure," He nodded.

After placing the simply green wrapped gift on his lap, he pulled at the silver ribbon to undo the bow and carefully undid the wrapping paper at the seams to avoid tearing it. Hinata watched him impatiently; having forgot how meticulous he was with opening presents. Soon the paper was completely off without a single tear and Riku took off the lid of the box underneath to reveal a vest.

He stared at it wordlessly for a moment as he placed the lid on the table in front of them. Then he grabbed the top of the vest and took it out of the package to get a good look at it. It was mostly an off white color with a thick yellow stripe along the bottom and a thin black stripe separating it from the white. Along the top was a yellow collar with two silver rounded buttons on either side.

Hinata anxiously waited in anticipation for his reaction as she uncomfortably drummed her fingers along the top of her own packaged gift. After a few excruciatingly silent seconds, she asked. "Well…? Is it alright?"

He looked over at Hinata with a smile. "It's great." Without waiting for her response, he put the vest on over the black sleeveless shirt he was already wearing. "And it fits perfectly."

Hinata let out a breath of relief and told him, "I saw it during my last shopping trip through Twilight Town and thought it would look good on you." She down casted her eyes towards the gift in her lap. "I hope you don't mind I bought you clothes; not very creative."

With a small smile, he reached his hand over to hers and assured her, "I don't mind at all. I'll wear it all the time."

"Oh please." She laughed quietly.

He laughed with her for a moment before telling her, "But really, thanks."

"Of course," She smirked. "Now I guess it's my turn now."

Riku's cheeks quickly flushed and he withdrew his hand from her, "Uh, yeah."

Hinata eyed him for his sudden change in demeanor before grabbing a corner of the paper and ripping it. Once the shimmering paper was in pieces around her, she lifted the lid of the square box and gasped when she saw its contents. Inside was a yellow star shaped fruit sitting on a bed of pink tissue paper. Reaching in, Hinata gently grabbed the fruit, feeling its bumpy texture against her skin. Its sweet familiar scent teased her senses, reminding her of the island. As she brought it out of the box she glanced up at Riku, seeing his cheeks blushed as he awaited her reaction; however, she wasn't quite certain on how to respond.

Riku watched her examine the fruit for a moment. Her face gradually warmed as she realized its symbolism and she gently ran her finger over its surface. When he could take the silence no more, he cleared his throat and spoke up. "I had gotten you something else for Christmas, but when I saw that at the island earlier, I knew that's what I wanted to give you instead." He noticed Hinata look up towards him and he began tracing his fingers along the seam of the couch arm rest beside him; trying to distract himself from his nerves. "When we first met I knew there was something about you. At first I thought it was just 'cause you were from another world; but with how quickly we became friends I knew that wasn't just it. You were the first person I opened myself up to. Within the first few months of us meeting I couldn't imagine being without you…" He inhaled deeply and allowed himself to meet Hinata's gaze, "And then all that stuff happened with Maleficent and I… I fell into darkness; but not once during that whole time did you stop being there for me, even after I…" His voice trailed off and his averted his eyes from Hinata to look at the paopu fruit in her lap; allowing himself to get lost in memories.

He didn't continue until Hinata placed her hand over his, making him come out of his thoughts. Shaking his head, he chuckled nervously and told her, "Basically what I'm trying to say is… I think you're amazing." He looked at her surprised expression. "You've been there for me through everything I put you through and I don't think I've ever really thanked you for it."

"You don't have to." She told him with a soft voice.

"But I should," He countered. "When Axel took you I was worried I would never get the chance to. Having you suddenly taken like that…" He dug his fingers into the arm rest and looked away. "It brought me to a dark place and I did some things I shouldn't have." He felt Hinata's questioning gaze, but continued. "So when I got you back I knew I didn't want to miss the chance again." He took a deep breath and turned towards her. "I don't want to ever be without you in my life. I want to be by your side through everything, just like you've been for me." He motioned towards the paopu fruit. "That's why I got you that."

"So our destinies will be intertwined?" She asked as she looked down at the fruit.

"We'll be a part of each other's lives, no matter what." He told her before slowly adding. "If… that's alright?"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and a small smile on her face. Leaning forward, she met their lips together without saying a word. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck as he wrapped his tightly around her waist. Before it became too passionate, she pulled away just enough to see his face.

She smiled and whispered, "Do you even have to ask?"

Riku only smirked in response before pulling her back for a more passionate kiss.

…

Outside the Benbo Inn, Sam stood alone at the wooden dock, staring out at the setting sun. Cool winds rushed against her; rustling the long coat she wore to conceal her arm. With her only hand, she fidgeted with the Atlantean crystal still hanging from her neck. It brought her a sense of comfort as it illuminated her face with its bright glow.

She heard the door to the Benbo Inn creak open, but she didn't look over to see who had come out. Her breath caught when she heard Jim's voice.

"You doin' alright?" He calmly asked her as he came up beside her. His hands were buried into the pockets in his brown jacket and he shivered from the cold winds. "You've been out here for a while now."

Sam let out a long breath and finally allowed herself to look away from the sunset in front of her. She glanced over at Jim, seeing his blue eyes worriedly looking her over with the faintest hint of a frown on his lips. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments, neither of them sure of what to say.

Eventually Sam went back to gazing out at the horizon and confessed. "I'm… not sure how I'm doing. There's a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked her. "Maybe inside, where it's warm?"

Sam let out a faint smile at his offer, but shook her head. "It's better if I deal with it myself. I'm not in a good place right now."

"Considering everything that's happened I would be surprised if you were." He shrugged, getting a look from Sam.

"You'd probably be the first person then." She sighed.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Sam slightly opened her mouth to talk, but felt a rise of emotions inside of her in response. She instead shook her head and grated, "It's nothing…"

Jim looked at her for a moment before looking out at the horizon with her. From where they stood there was a sea of clouds as far as they could see that were tinted all different hues of oranges and reds with the occasional yellow mixed in. The sun was concealed by the clouds but still snuck a few sunrays to peek through the veil. They silently admired the view until Jim spoke up.

"Do you remember when we were kids?" He asked her, not really expecting an answer. "We would sit on the roof of the Inn and count the stars in the sky while we talked about everything we could think of. But then my dad left and everything changed." He looked over at her, catching her eyes in his as she glanced over. "I shut you and everyone out. You even tried coming here yourself to convince me to talk to you again, you remember?"

She reluctantly nodded in response. "Yeah…" She confessed. "I remember."

"It took us over eight years to become friends again," He reminded her.

"What's your point, Jim?" She asked him with the hint of exasperation.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "My point is that if I had only opened up and let you in when I needed you most, a lot of the pain I caused could have been avoided. It's something I regret a lot." He looked at her and finished. "So… I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't shut me out. I want to be here for you, through all of this."

Sam considered his words for a moment before muttering, "You don't have to be… All this crap that's happened with me; you'd be better off finding someone else."

"What?" He asked. "Why would you think that?"

She frowned and told him with tears in her voice, "I don't know, because I'm a damn dropout with a missing arm? Because I can't take care of my family or even myself at this point; so what makes you think I'd be any good at taking care of you? And even with all the technology in the world I'll never be the girl I used to be two effing days ago!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as her voice rose to a cry. "I was the only person holding everything together! My family, the shop, us! That was because of me and everything I did to keep things running smoothly. I gave up my life to keep things safe and I get repaid for all that shit by losing my arm! I don't even know who I am anymore! I-I've just let everyone around me down!"

"Sam, you haven't," Jim stepped towards her, but she stumbled backwards out of his reach. "You haven't let anyone down Sam." He assured her. His eyes were filled with tears as he saw Sam breaking down in front of him. "No one blames you for what happened. If anything we want to help you and be there for you the same way you were for us." He pointed back towards the inn. "I know that's how your brother feels about it and I have no doubt Hinata does too. You don't have to put so much pressure on yourself. We understand…"

"No, you don't!" Sam interjected. "How could you guys understand? I've been expected to give up my future to keep my family going and I resented that every day! But now that I can't do it anymore… I just feel like a disappointment." She took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. "I can't face my family, I can't face anyone."

"Sam…" He softly said her name.

"My head is a mess right now. I'm depressed, I'm furious, I'm terrified. And everyone is still expecting me…"

"No one is expecting anything," He interrupted her calmly. He slowly walked forward to be beside her. "And you are far from a disappointment." Placing his hand under her chin, she tipped her face to look up at him. He gazed into her tear filled eyes with a kindness in his face. "What happened after your dad died shouldn't have happened. You shouldn't have had to give up your own future. You are so much more than that shop. There is so much more to you than fixing ships. Think of this as a chance to take your life into your own hands. No expectations or responsibilities; just what you want to do." He wiped away a tear on her cheek and told her. "And I know that whatever you do will be great."

From his words, emotion overwhelmed her and she once again began to cry. As she broke down, Jim pulled her into his arms, tightly embracing her. He felt her shoulders begin to heave as she sobbed against him.

"I-I'm sorry I'm such a mess …" her voice was weak and muffled against his chest.

His arms tightened around her. "Don't be sorry." He whispered just loud enough for her to hear him. "I love you."

Sam immediately froze from his words. "Y-you do?" She meekly asked as she composed herself. She pulled back from his chest and looked up at him, seeing a smile on his face.

He quickly nodded with tears in his eyes. "I do. I didn't get the chance to say it back at the hospital and…" he inhaled deeply. "Honestly, when you first told me I wasn't sure; but seeing you now, I know it without a doubt." He lifted his hands to cup her face and leaned his forehead against hers. "I love you, Samantha Ainsworth," He kissed her before adding, "missing arm and all."

Sam let out a sudden burst of laughter and slightly hit his shoulder, making him laugh in return. "Shut up," She told him before kissing him again.

When they broke apart, Jim softly kissed her forehead, before asking. "So, what would you like to do?"

She let out a rare giggle and thought about it for a moment. Uneasiness itched at her as she got an idea. "I have an idea, but I don't know if you'll like it."

Jim chuckled, "I just told you not to worry about anyone else. What do you want to do?"

"I…" She slowly began to talk, "I want to go back with Hinata to Twilight Town."

"You do?" Jim asked in surprise. He pulled back a bit to fully see her face. "Why?"

Sam averted her eyes from him and explained. "I've spent my whole life here trying to please others, but now… I have the chance to do something different, something that I want to do." She hesitantly looked back at him and added. "Something that can make a difference." She swallowed hard and told him. "I could even make myself a mechanical arm that would help me fight and protect myself." She paused and gave him a small smile, "Well, I could with some help."

"You want me to help make you a new arm?" He asked, still trying to wrap his mind around everything she was telling him.

"Will you?" She asked in return.

His eyes lit up, "Uh, yeah! Of course!" However, the smile on his face quickly faded as he realized, "But wait, does Hinata know about this plan?"

Sam frowned and looked away contemplatively.

Sensing her apprehension, he asked "Sam?"

"She wants me to go," She blurted and looked back at him. "Her boss wasn't too thrilled about it, but I'm sure I can win him over." A small almost strained smile appeared on her tear marked face.

Jim chuckled, "I have no doubt about that. Well alright, they are leaving tomorrow morning, so we'd better get working."

"Wait…" She eyed him. "You're seriously alright with me leaving like this?"

His cheeks tinted rose and he slowly confessed. "I want you to do what makes you happy. And if that means travelling through space saving the galaxy for a few months," He shrugged, "I'm alright with that."

Sam's eyes widened and her face darkened with blush. "You really mean that?" She asked him with a quiet voice.

He nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "I already told you Sam, I love you. And that's what you do for people you, you know, love." He met his gaze with hers, "You put their needs before your own."

She stared at him in silence for a moment and felt her heart swell. Reaching her hand towards him, she tightly gripped his hand and told him. "Thank you."

"Of course," He smiled. They stared wordlessly at each other for a minute before he cleared his throat. "Come on, we better get to the shop to work." He pulled on her hand as he began to lead the way. "We should have Ben bring the Highwind to the shop so we can pack your things on it."

"Yeah," Sam replied almost uneasily as she followed Jim.

She glanced behind her at the Benbo Inn, catching sight of Hinata and Riku sitting inside through the window. The slightest hint of guilt trickled through her as she looked at them.

"Does Hinata know you're coming along with her tomorrow?" Jim asked, getting Sam's attention.

She quickly turned her head around to look at him and strained a smile, "Uh, well not yet; but she will."

Jim stopped walking. "Should we go tell her just in case?"

"No, it should be fine." She quickly assured him as she continued to walk. "I don't want to stress her out. She'll find out tomorrow." Once Jim began walking again, she told him. "I don't want to tell James either. He'll only try to convince me to stay."

Jim thought about it for a moment before telling her, "He probably will, but do you really want him to find out by you suddenly disappearing?"

"I'll leave him a letter or something." Sam suggested. "It's better if he doesn't know until I'm gone."

"Well… alright." Jim resigned to her judgment. Squeezing her hand, he asked, "You'll be careful out there, right?"

"Of course," She squeezed his hand back, "I promise."

"I wish there was something like that communications device Riku and Hinata had that we could use."

Sam thought about it for a moment. "I'm sure we can come up with something like that so we can keep in contact."

"Yeah, you could tell me about all the new worlds you've seen."

"And you could complain about how strict the Academy is." She teased.

Jim laughed, "Yeah, thinking about it, I think I'd rather go with you."

Sam chuckled, "I wish. It was hard enough to convince Hinata to want me to go with her."

Jim smirked before asking, "So, what's the real reason you want to go with Hinata?"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, looking over at him.

"I know you Sam," He told her. "You're hiding something."

Sam frowned and looked away. "I'm that obvious, huh?"

"Well, we have been friends since we were kids." He shrugged, "You can't blame me for being able to see right through you."

Letting out a long breath, Sam stopped walking, making Jim stop and look back at her. "I can't tell you why."

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because you'd try to stop me if I did." She clarified.

"Sam…" He stepped towards her. "We've talked about this. You can tell me anything."

She shook her head, "Not this time. This is something personal that I need to do for myself. And… I can't have people standing in my way."

He gave her a look, "This doesn't sound like you."

"Well, I've changed." She told him. "And I know you want me to be completely honest with you… but right now I can't. You just need to trust that I know what I'm doing."

Jim stared into her eyes, trying to decipher what she was hiding, but it was the one thing he couldn't figure out. After several moments, he let out a sigh, shook his head, and looked away. "Alright," he finally spoke. "I'm putting my trust in you." He forced himself to look back at her. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to and I'm going to trust that you are doing what's best."

Sam smiled in relief and nodded. "Thank you." She squeezed his hand before releasing it and walking forward.

Jim looked after her for a moment as she went on ahead. Something inside of him was uneasy by Sam's secrecy, but shaking it off he jogged forward to meet her pace; ready to help her in any way she needed.


	28. Addition to the Team

Chapter 28

Hinata shivered as she entered the shop. The air outside was already brisk and cold, but it was nothing compared to the vast factory in Sam's shop. She momentarily placed the luggage she was carrying on the floor and ran her hands along her sweater covered arms.

"Pretty chilly in here," Riku commented as he reached his arm around her and rubbed his hand on her arm in attempt to keep her warm.

Hinata scoffed, "That's an understatement. It doesn't help that it's barely five in the morning." She shook a bit from a sudden chill and asked, "Remind me why DiZ wants us back so soon?"

"Probably another mission," Riku surmised. He removed his arm from around her and grabbed the handle to one of her bags. "But come on, the quicker we get going, the sooner you'll be able to get back to bed."

With a small smile, she picked up the other bag and followed after him, "Snuggling up in a warm blanket does sound pretty tempting."

They walked further into the vast factory and saw the Highwind docked in the trench in the center of the area. James was up on deck with Ben discussing something as Jack whizzed around wagging his bony tail. It didn't take long for Jack to notice Hinata and he instantly flew down from the ship letting out a string of jovial barks that grabbed Ben and James' attention.

Hinata giggled as Jack bombarded her with doggie kisses. "Alright, alright, it's good to see you too Jack." She scratched him behind his ears. "Did you miss me?"

He gave her a small nod before resting on her shoulder.

"I was wondering when you guys would get here," James called down to them from the ship's railing.

"It's five in the morning!" Hinata pointed out. "And considering all the goodbyes we had to give, we made it here on good time."

James chuckled and walked down the walkway from the deck to the floor of the shop. "Yeah, yeah, I'm just hearing excuses." He noticed the bags they were carrying and reached out his hand, "I can take those if you want."

"I can handle it," Riku replied as he took the other bag from Hinata and walked past James onto the ship.

James watched Riku go below deck with the luggage and sighed. "You know, I really tried to connect with him while you were gone."

Hinata looked over at him with surprise. "Seriously?"

He scoffed, "Yeah, but he wasn't going for it."

"Yeah, I'd be surprised if he did," She laughed. "He doesn't make new friends easily, especially ones like… well, like you."

James shrugged and chuckled, "Well, at least I tried." He looked at Hinata with a smile, but it slowly faded. "So, you're really headed back already, huh?"

Hinata slowly nodded, "Yeah, not sure what I'll be doing; but I need to go regardless."

"You don't want to stay here?" He asked. "I mean, you said you won't be doing any more missions for a while. Maybe you could hang out here. I know Sam would like that."

She sadly smiled. "Thanks, but, even if I can't go on missions off world, I know there will be things I can do to help. Plus," She smirked and motioned her head towards the ship. "I have to stay with Riku."

James breathily laughed and admitted, "Yeah, I figured as much; had to make sure."

Hinata smiled before looking around. "Where is Sam?"

"Oh, she's still sleeping." He replied. "She and Jim stayed up until three in the morning working on making her a new arm."

"Really?" She asked before realizing, "I guess that would explain why Jim looked so out of it when he said good bye this morning."

"I can go wake Sam up if you want," James offered as he pointed behind him.

"No don't worry about it," Hinata assured him. "She needs the rest; plus… she's not too happy with me for leaving without her."

"Leaving without her?" He repeated.

"Uh, it's nothing," She quickly covered up as she averted her eyes, "Just… we got into a bit of an argument last night. It would probably be best if she gets some space for a bit."

James eyed her with uncertainty, but nodded, "Alright, I'll keep an eye on her."

"You almost ready to go?" Riku called down from the deck.

Hinata looked up at Riku with a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be right up." She drew her gaze back to James and told him. "Well, I guess I should get going."

"You'll be back, right?" He asked.

She strained a smile, "I certainly hope so." She looked past James towards the door that led to him and Sam's home. Letting out a breath, she told him softly. "And… I'm really sorry for everything that happened." She forced herself to meet his eyes.

"Don't be," He told her with a small smile. Reaching forward, he gave her a short but tight hug. "Now take care of yourself, alright?"

Hinata tightly hugged him back, "Thanks, you too."

James reluctantly released her and gave her a small wave as she walked up the walkway to the deck of the ship. Hinata waved back down to him as Ben started up the engines to the ship. Within minutes the ship lifted off the ground and flew towards space. Once they exited Montresor's atmosphere and entered space, Ben wasted no time activating the ship's drive to head back to Twilight Town.

"Well that was certainly an eventful trip!" Ben spoke up once the ship was on autopilot. He left the navigation and went over to Riku and Hinata.

Riku remained silent as Hinata chuckled uneasily, "Yeah that was certainly… something." She looked over at Ben and added, "By the way, I haven't gotten the chance to thank you for giving Sam that Atlantean crystal. I had been planning on giving it to her myself, but I'm glad that you gave it to her."

Ben rubbed his hand along the back of his metal neck and replied, "Well of course! It was the least I could do after… well, you know…" There was an awkward silence for a moment before he cleared his throat. "But, uh, anyways, I have the ship on autopilot; so Jack and I are going to hang out below deck."

Both Hinata and Riku gave him a look. "Really?" Hinata asked a bit slow.

Jack gave a short bark and floated up from Hinata's shoulder. He floated over to be beside Ben and wagged his tail.

"Yeah!" Ben replied loudly. "We're having… uh…" Jack barked, "Ah yes! Club activities, just like Jack said."

"Club activities?" Riku repeated unsure.

"Yeah, in the other room below deck," Ben explained quickly. "You know, the one you guys don't ever go into? But it's uh, strictly dogs and robots only so… you guys can't come in."

Riku and Hinata exchanged a look. "Well… alright, I guess." Hinata replied. "Have fun?"

"Oh goodie!" Ben chimed as him and Jack immediately made their way down stairs below deck. As they descended, Ben whispered loudly to Jack, "That actually worked!"

Hinata watched the duo scurry downstairs and she asked Riku, "Should I be worried about these, 'club activities' their planning? They're obviously up to something."

Riku shrugged, "Probably just some weird project to try to make up for his mistake. I wouldn't worry about it."

She wasn't quite convinced and a frown gradually grew on her face. Riku noticed her concern and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"Don't worry about it," He told her, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek. "Let's get back to bed downstairs and get some sleep."

Hinata smiled at his words and agreed, "You had me when you said sleep."

Riku chuckled as he released her and began walking downstairs. "That was literally the last word I said."

"Well… you still had me then." She replied making Riku laugh in response.

The trip back to Twilight Town went quickly. Riku and Hinata basically slept for a vast majority of it while Ben and Jack remained locked away in the other room. It wasn't until right before reaching the orbit of Twilight Town that Ben came out of the room. He creaked the door open slightly and peeked out to make sure that Riku and Hinata were nowhere to be seen. When he saw the hall was empty, he tiptoed out and closed the door behind him before making his way up to the deck to land the ship.

He brought the ship out of hyper space and called below deck, "Land Ho!"

The ship gradually entered the atmosphere of Twilight Town and as they approached the mansion, Riku and Hinata came onto the deck; both of them yawning and stretching their stiff sleepy muscles.

"How'd you both sleep?" Ben asked.

"Really well," Hinata yawned. "I didn't realize how much I needed that." She looked over at Ben, "How were the, uh, club activities?"

"Uh, great!" Ben replied, "You'll uh, get to see the fruits of our labor pretty soon here." He gave her a grin that seemed almost unsettling.

Hinata gave him a look but shook it off. Instead she turned and walked to the railing to be beside Riku as the ship landed in the garden behind the mansion. DiZ was standing at the glass doors to the mansion, poised as ever, awaiting their arrival. Once the ship landed, the metal walkway protruded from the deck of the ship and went down to the grassy ground.

As Hinata and Riku descended the walkway, DiZ stepped forward to greet them. "Welcome back, it is good to see you safe and sound, Hinata."

Hinata smiled, "Thanks."

"I am eager to hear the details of the events of your capture," he told her. "Despite the scare, there may be much we can learn."

"I agree," Hinata nodded while giving a slight glance in Riku's direction.

"If you'll…" DiZ began to say before his voice trailed off. He glanced behind Riku and Hinata up towards the deck of the ship and his one visible eye instantly glared. "I thought I was explicitly clear about your friends staying in their world."

Hinata gave him a confused look, "What are you talking about?" She turned around to follow his gaze and gasped. "Sam?!"

Sam stood at the top of the deck with a sheepish grin on her face. A long tan cloak covered her shoulders, arms, and a majority of her body; but lifting her right arm from it she waved. "Uh, hey guys. I was really hoping you wouldn't see me."

Hinata quickly spun back around to face DiZ, "I had no idea she was on the ship. I promise, this wasn't me."

DiZ's expression hardened and he shortly replied, "Bring her home."

"What? No!" Sam objected as she stepped forward. "I'm not going back!"

"This is not up for discussion!" DiZ yelled, making everyone freeze.

"I'm not going anywhere until you give me one good reason why I can't help!" Sam swept her feet over the railing and jumped down to the ground. "That whole half-assed excuse about the World Order isn't going to work this time."

"No, no, no," Hinata quickly stammered as she stepped in front of Sam, "She doesn't mean that, she's emotional."

"What, I sure do…!" Sam tried to object.

"This isn't some sort of game, kid!" Riku cut Sam off. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Do yourself a favor and go home."

Sam glared back at Riku, not appreciating his tone. "Just give me a chance," She replied.

"Meet me in the study; we have much to discuss." DiZ told all of them firmly before turning around and heading back into the mansion without another word.

The moment the door closed behind him, Hinata turned around to face Sam with a stern look on her face.

"Wait, you're mad at me?" Sam asked.

"What do you think?" Hinata asked before telling her off. "It's funny, I distinctly remember saying you couldn't come here with me! Remember all that arguing and you storming out of my room last night? I don't know where the hell you got the idea that that meant you had any right to sneak onto my ship and stow away here!"

"Hinata, I…" Sam attempted to explain.

"I know you've just gone through a lot, but that does not give you any excuse," Hinata continued, her voice gradually rising. "Does anyone even know you came here?"

"Jim does," Sam admitted.

"And James?" She asked. When Sam shook her head, Hinata scolded, "Seriously?! You just abandoned your own brother so you could come here? What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you have any idea how he is going to react when he realizes you're gone?"

"I left him a letter," Sam told her. "He'll be fine." She looked away and let out a breath, "And… I'm sorry for lying to you and stowing away on your ship. I just didn't know how else to get here."

"Maybe you should have taken the hint and stayed where you belonged," Riku told her with his arms crossed. "You aren't welcome here."

"Thanks, I noticed." Sam shortly replied to him with a glare.

"Why are you here, Sam?" Hinata asked her with her voice somewhat calmer. "Why did you go through so much trouble to get here?"

Sam frowned and averted her eyes. "It's… complicated."

"Well you better figure it out, because DiZ is going to want to know." Riku told her. "And you better drop that attitude when you talk to him."

"I know," She replied. "I'll work on it."

Hinata ran her hand through her hair and let out a long breath. "Alright, let's get you to DiZ."

As Hinata led Sam inside, Riku shook his head in frustration and looked up at the deck of the ship to see Ben uncomfortably fidgeting his hands in front of him. "Was keeping her hidden your so called, 'club activities'?"

Ben slowly nodded, "She made us promise last night not to let you guys know."

"You're already on thin ice," Riku informed him. "You have one last chance not to screw up again." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and followed the girls inside the mansion.

He pulled open the glass door and entered the building. Sam was silently looking around the area and glanced back at Riku when she heard him come in. The moment their gazes met she quickly averted her eyes. Hinata was a few steps ahead, leading the way to the study with agitation obvious in her demeanor. Soon they were right in front of the metal door that led to DiZ's study.

Sam stared at the door, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous; but felt Hinata's gently placing her hand on her arm.

"You're going to be alright," Hinata assured her.

Sam gave her a confused look, "You were just yelling at me a minute ago."

"I'm still really upset with you," Hinata admitted, "But, you're also my best friend and I know you're feeling uneasy right now. DiZ can be scary, but just tell him the truth and everything will be fine. Just… if he wants you to go home, don't start anything alright? We already have enough problems to deal with."

Sam half-smiled and placed her hand over Hinata's. "I… I promise. I'll do whatever he wants me to do after he hears me out."

Hinata let out a small sigh of relief as she removed her hand from her and glanced over at Riku. He nodded at her and pressed the button beside the door, immediately sliding it open. Sam looked uneasily inside the dark room as she reluctantly walked inside. Her eyes fixated on the glowing blue computer screens that DiZ silently stared at from his seat.

When he heard the door slide open, DiZ spoke up without turning his seat. "Hinata and Riku, would you please wait outside? I wish to speak with Sam alone."

Sam gasped and looked over at Hinata. "You'll be fine." Hinata assured her with a whisper as she walked out with Riku.

Once the door slid closed behind them, DiZ spun his seat around and addressed Sam. "Why did you come here?"

Sam stood frozen for a moment as she tried to find her words. Shaking her head for a second, she stammered out. "I told you already. I want to help with your cause."

"Why would you want to aid in awakening Sora?" He asked her. "What do you know about him?"

"I-I don't really know much," She admitted. "He's some sort of special fighter that is friends with Riku and Hinata; but, he isn't really the reason I want to help."

DiZ raised his eyebrows with intrigue. "Then what is?"

Sam uncomfortably ran her right hand through her hair. "Well…. The Organization Members, Axel to be precise, I guess."

"What business do you have with him?"

Sam looked away and shifted her weight uneasily as DiZ patiently awaited her response. Inhaling deeply, she reached up with her right hand to the small tie at the top of her cloak. Pulling at one of the slack strings, she loosened it and moved the fabric away from her left arm. DiZ was shocked to see a mechanical arm.

A copper cup encased what used to be the stubbed end of her left arm and connected to it was a large silver gear that served as her new elbow. On the other end of the gear were two curved silver plates with wires and pipes going between them before meeting to a brown leather gloved hand with metal tips. Over the top of one of the silver plates was a raised copper piece with thin vents coming off either side. In the center of the copper piece was the Atlantean crystal encased inside of it. Stemming from the crystal were glowing blue veins that went all over the entire arm.

Sam shuffled uncomfortably as she allowed DiZ to stare at her new addition. "When Axel attacked… he didn't just take Hinata." She finally spoke up. "He also let out a huge burst of fire and… well, took my left arm with it."

DiZ was silent for a moment before suddenly letting out what seemed like an ill-timed laugh. "So the real reason for your arrival is revenge."

"I couldn't just stay in Montressor while that bastard got off scot free," Sam confessed with a bit more confidence in her voice. "Hinata had every chance to kill him, but she didn't! And I know they used to be friends or whatever, but…"

"Justice needs to be served," DiZ finished for her.

"Exactly," Sam agreed. "And I figured being out here would give me my best chance at doing that."

The faintest hint of a smirk appeared on DiZ's face. "You and I are more alike than I initially realized." He told her. "You may be of some use, after all."

Sam's eyes widened, "Are you serious?" She asked with a bit of excitement in her voice.

"That depends…." DiZ began to explain. "If you can prove yourself to be useful."

"Y-yeah! Definitely!" Sam quickly nodded. "I'll do anything."

DiZ turned his seat around and clicked a few buttons on his keyboard. "I was going to send Riku on this mission; however, this seems like it would be much more suited to your situation."

He pulled up a picture of a tall building with two giant soldier statues and gold columns standing in front of two double doors. Sam stepped forward to see the picture better.

"This picture is from a world called Olympus." DiZ began to explain. "Right now they have a Coliseum event going on; which in short is a series of fighters competing against the other in short combats." He did a few more keystrokes and brought up a picture of a glowing gold trophy with a large handle on either side. "The winner of these bouts receives this reward."

"And, you want me to get that?" She asked.

"If you are able," he told her. "We could use this event to test your skills as a fighter. If you are able to obtain this trophy, you will be allowed to stay here and work for me to ultimately bring down the Organization. However," He turned and looked at her. "If you are unable to win, you will be required to head back to your galaxy."

Sam thought about it for a moment before nodding, "Alright." She stood up straight and told him. "You've got a deal."

DiZ smiled, "Excellent. Now before you depart there are a few world rules you will have to follow."

Sam sighed as she began listening to DiZ drone out the many rules of going to a new world. Outside the room, Hinata paced nervously back and forth in the short hall between DiZ's study and the library while Riku leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

"She's alright, right?" Hinata asked. "I mean, if she is I'm going to kill her myself for sneaking out here, but… I don't want DiZ to do anything to her."

"It's her own fault for coming here." Riku told her. "I hope DiZ is hard on her."

"Not helping," Hinata sighed.

"Is Sam down here?" Ben asked as he jogged down the steps from the library holding a brown glove in his hands.

"She's meeting with DiZ," Hinata told him as she noticed the glove in his hands. "What is that?"

"Oh, Sam forgot it on the ship." Ben explained. He held it up to let Hinata get a good look at it. It was a long brown leather glove with silver metal tips at the fingers. "She made it to go along with her new arm!"

Hinata looked up at Ben, "So she finished it?"

Ben nodded, "Yep! She said her and Jim finished most of it last night. She was just tweaking and adding things on the way here. She can do all sorts of things with it!"

"And what's that glove supposed to do with it?" Riku asked.

"Well I don't understand most of it," Ben admitted, "But she said it's supposed to help her generate electricity."

"What?" Hinata asked in confusion. "Generate electricity? How would she do that with either arm?"

"What's her power source?" Riku asked.

"Oh you know, that crystal!" Ben told them.

"Huh," Hinata smiled and nodded, "That actually works perfect."

"Yeah those things are basically power sources to begin with," Riku agreed, somewhat impressed.

"Just by putting that crystal in the metal it would have melded the pieces together, turned the whole thing on, and serve as a weapon all in one." Hinata added. "I saw that type of thing all over Atlantis."

"I hate to admit it, but that's pretty ingenious." Riku said.

"Yeah, but that's Sam for you." Hinata smiled. "Maybe she'll do alright after all."

The door to DiZ's study slid open and Sam walked out with her cloak folded over her right arm. A grin was plastered on her face and she suddenly slowed to a stop when she saw everyone. Her cheeks flushed as she noticed them all immediately stare at her mechanical arm.

Hinata cleared her throat and looked up to Sam's face. "So, uh, how did it go?"

Sam's uneasiness went away and she shared, "Oh, it went alright. I'm just headed on my first mission to Olympia."

Both Hinata and Riku's mouths fell agape. "You mean…" Hinata began to say. "He's letting you stay?"

"Seriously?" Riku asked with a bit of distaste in his voice.

Sam gave him a slight glare before explaining, "This is more of a trial run to see how I handle myself. If I get what he's wanting I can stay, but if not I have to go back."

"Better not screw it up then," Riku told her as he stepped forward.

"You know," Sam looked over at Riku. "James has told me countless times that you're an ass and I never believed him; but now… you're an ass."

"Only to people that piss me off." He replied. He smirked over at Hinata when she gave him a look.

"What is DiZ wanting you to get?" Hinata asked her, changing the subject.

"Some trophy," Sam shrugged.

"What is he doing with all these trinkets we get him?" Hinata asked as she glanced over at Riku.

"You can go ask him if you want." Sam told her. "He wants to talk to you two while I head off to Olympus." She cleared her throat and added, "Which means, I'll also need to borrow the Highwind for a bit. I'll make sure to bring along Ben for the flight."

Hinata slightly frowned but nodded, "Alright. You're the one that built her, so I know you'll take care of her."

"I will, I promise." She smiled. "And I'm really sorry for sneaking onto the ship."

"I forgive you," Hinata told her. "I'm still really mad at you." She admitted with a bit of a short laugh, "But I forgive you."

Sam chuckled, "I'll take it."

"Oh, you forgot this on this ship!" Ben told her as he held out her other glove. "But I guess since we're headed back there I didn't really need to bring it."

"It's fine Ben," Sam assured him as she took the glove from him and put it on her right hand. "Let's get going."

She gave a small nod to Riku and Hinata before heading out of the study to get to the ship. Once on the ship she quickly ran over to navigation and tried to lift both her arms to work it; however, her left arm barely moved.

She let out a groan and stepped back to allow Ben to take the controls. "This thing is going to take some getting used to. It's a lot heavier than my real arm was."

"I'm sure you'll get used to it!" Ben assured her as he started the ship's engines. "We'll have five hours before we reach Olympus so you can use that time to practice!"

Sam took a deep breath and nodded, "You're right. I'll go to that sparring room downstairs and practice."

The flight went by slowly for Sam as she tirelessly learned how to use and move her new mechanical arm; while also making slight tweaks to its weapons and mechanics. She would occasionally go up to the deck to ask Ben for help with something she wasn't able to do with one hand. By the end of the journey to Olympus, she had gained a good amount of control over her new arm and had a handful of different attacks she could do with it.

She looked over the ships railing at the planet Olympus below them and felt her heart rate quicken with nervousness and excitement. She glanced over at Ben, who was still standing at navigation and told him, "Alright, I'm ready."

"Good luck!" Ben waved as he pressed a button and beamed her down to the planet below.

Sam appeared in an alleyway between some buildings, with her small bag beside her. She looked around, surprised at how clean and empty it was, thinking back to the dingy, hobo-filled corridors of Montressor. At each end of the alley, she could see larger streets crowded with busy people, all well-dressed in various sorts of togas and robes. Pulling the glove over her robotic hand up just a bit tighter, she stepped out into the street and turned to her left.

A grand cityscape stretched into the distance, the street filled with vendors and booths. Street vendors were not uncommon back in Montressor, but these seemed nicer and more temporary as if they were set up for a special occasion. Out in the distance, a tall spire of a mountain stretched majestically up into the clouds and out of sight.

"I don't see anything that looks like a coliseum" She muttered to herself. Sam looked at the crowd around her, then down uncomfortably at her arm. She shuffled nervously for a second before putting it slightly behind her, and approached one of the nearby vendors.

"Hey, uh, excuse me" she said.

The lanky vendor turned around, his curled brown hair bouncing across his head. "Well hello there miss, what can I do for you?" he asked while setting down what looked like a delicious pastry in a bed of similar delights.

Sam looked at the pastries for a moment and then shook her head subtly. "I'm trying to find the coliseum. Can you point me in the right direction?" she asked.

The vendor looked at her oddly for a second and then cracked a tiny grin. "Uh yeah, of course, you just uh… turn around." he said, trying to be polite.

Sam sighed as she turned around, and easily spotted the coliseum. "It's been a bit of a day" she told him. "Thank you."

"Of course." The vendor said as he looked down again at his pastries before asking hopefully. "You uh, you need a snack to keep you company while you watch the trials?"

Sam eyed the pastries, and grabbed a coin out of her bag. "That does sound pretty good, actually", she said, handing him the coin.

The vendor looked at the coin blankly for a moment. "I've uh, never seen this kind of money before actually" he said contemplatively. "I'll take it anyways though, it's kind of neat. You're not from around here huh?" He handed her one of the pastries

Sam shook her head as she grabbed the snack. "Nope."

The vendor smiled. "Yeah, we got a lot of people from far away for these trials. It's amazing how many people want to take part in the coliseum events." He glanced back behind Sam and noticed a couple more people starting to gather in line. "Well, uh, I wish you the best of luck. And hey if you get hungry again, I'll be here all week!"

Sam, mouth too stuffed with pastry to speak, nodded her head in thanks and turned around to start walking towards the coliseum. As she walked, Sam began to notice how many people looked like they were foreigners as well, and the numbers grew higher as she got closer to the massive structure.

"He wasn't kidding", she mumbled under her breath. "I basically blend in here."

The coliseum entrance was huge, with magnificent pillars on either side of the massive doors. Huge torches shined brightly on either side. Leading up to the entrance were two lines, one crowded and thick with people and a relatively empty one to the side. Each one had a sign presumably explaining what they were for, but Sam couldn't read the foreign script. Testing her luck, Sam went to the emptier line and waited her turn. After a few minutes she came up to the woman running the admissions. She towered over Sam, yet was very slender. She wore an ornate gold robe, and was holding a large scroll and quill pen.

"Are you here to take part in the trials?" she asked Sam gracefully.

"Uh, yeah." Sam slowly replied. "I was told I needed to find a guy named Philoctetes" she told her while stumbling a bit on the name.

"Ah yes", the woman said. "We have been expecting you. If you could please just give me your name and home city for the records, you can go up those stairs to the left all the way to the top."

"I'm Sam, and I'm..." Her voice momentarily trailed off as she remembered the orders from DiZ to keep quiet about being from another world. Clearing her throat she finished. "…From far away."

The lady arched an eyebrow down at Sam inquisitively. "Well, where is that exactly?" She asked her. Sam coughed awkwardly, trying to think of what to say.

"I'm sorry" proceeded the lady, "But I'm afraid the rules are very clear in that all contestants must report where they are from. If you win, it is important that your home town can share in the glory… and if you lose, it immensely helps track down the next of kin. I'm sure you understand. Now please, where are you from?"

Sam nodded. "Oh, uh sure, I'm from" she raised her hand over her mouth and coughed some word like sounds unintelligibly, "Herm…fer-fermm…" She looked towards the woman with a hopeful yet embarrassed expression.

The lady did her best to keep her eyes from rolling, but ultimately failed and rolled them with a sigh. "Very well." She scribbled some information on the scroll, and in a tone with just the slightest touch of sarcasm said "Many thanks. You may proceed."

Giving her a relieved nod, Sam made her way over to and up the stairs as instructed while practicing saying "Philoctetes" under her breath. About halfway up, she heard a loud roar and cheering from the crowd outside. Sam took a deep breath, beginning to feel nervous at the prospect of being in front of such a large audience.

Finally, she made it to the top of the stair case, and found herself in what appeared to be a viewing area overlooking the arena. Ahead of her was a tall, muscular man with curly reddish-brown hair and a short blue cape.

"Excuse me" she said, causing the man to turn around. "Are you Philoctetes?" she asked.

"Call me Phil." a deep, gruff voice spoke up from below her.

Sam looked down and saw a short, stout man. His bottom half seemed more like a goat, but his top half was distinctly human, aside from his short horns and red nose.

Sam blushed in embarrassment at having not even noticed him. "You're Philoctetes?"

Phil looked up at her with a bit of a glare, "What's the matter? Never seen a satyr before?"

"Can't say I have," She admitted before clearing her throat, "But, wait, you're the guy that trains people, right?"

"The trainer of heroes." The tall muscular man stood proudly. "True heroes, like me!"

Sam looked between Phil and the man with a confused look. "And, who are you exactly?"

"What do you mean who is he?" Phil asked in disbelief, "That's Hercules! The truest hero in all of Greece! And I'm the one who trained him!"

"Oh, well, nice to meet you then." Sam nodded towards Hercules as he smiled in response.

"I'm gonna go ahead and assume you're that kid lookin' to join the games?" Phil crossed his small arms.

"Yeah, I mean I think I am." She admitted, "I'm Sam. How did you know I'd be here?"

Waving her off, he told her, "Ah, got a call from an old acquaintance of mine askin' me to train you." Stretching his arms he told her. "Usually I'd just say I was booked with Herc here, but let's just say I owe this guy a favor."

"You know DiZ?" Sam asked, instinctively crossing her arms. As she put both her arms in front of her she swiftly noticed Hercules staring at her robotic arm. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, she attempted to ignore his gaze.

"Yeah we go way back." Phil quickly told her as he looked her over. "I'm not sure what he sees in you though, you just seem like a rookie to me."

Sam scoffed from his assumption. "Looks can be deceiving. Besides, isn't that why you're supposed to train me?"

"Fair enough," He agreed. "Just don't think I'm going to go easy on you. Training is tough and takes a lot of heart and dedication. You've gotta prove you can go the distance."

"Alright," Sam nodded, liking the idea of a challenge. "What do you want me to do?"

Phil smirked, "That's what I like to hear." Turning around he looked out at the coliseum arena below them; where Heartless and warriors were battling each other. "Today's the qualification rounds for the games. That's where you show us what you've got."

"Sounds easy enough." Sam commented.

"It starts easy," Hercules spoke up. "There are five rounds, each with a harder set of opponents from the last. And the only way to make it to the next round is to beat the enemy without taking a single hit."

"The round you end up making it to will determine how far you are placed in the main event." Phil added. "And it will show me what you're made of."

Sam thoughtfully nodded as she mulled it over. "Alright, that's pretty straightforward. When do I start?"

Hercules motioned towards the arena below. "There's a few more people ahead of you. You can watch them if you want and get an idea of what's waiting for you."

Sam jumped at the opportunity and ran over to the railing that overlooked the coliseum.

She watched the next few rounds and the competitors, taking note of the sorts of monsters that were showing up; many of them she recognized as various types of Heartless.

"So these Heartless monsters are just, what, amusement here?" she asked. "Everywhere else I've seen them they cause a lot of problems."

"Yeah, they just started showing up one day" Phil shrugged. "But hey, we've got Herc here and all the gods of Mount Olympus. They're mean, but they're nothing compared to all the crazy monsters we'd smash before they showed up. Good for the coliseum though!"

Sam blinked in surprise, but went back to watching the battles below until Phil spoke up again. "Alright kid, you're up soon. I'm know I'm supposed to help give you advice, but I gotta see what you can do first."

"That's fine, I think I've got a decent enough idea of what I have to do." Sam said.

"You think you can handle those guys? Hercules asked. "How do you plan to fight them?

Sam nodded, and motioned towards her mechanical arm. "I spent the whole trip over here working on this thing."

Hercules walked over and looked at it. "I've never seen an arm like that."

"Probably not, I made it myself." She replied proudly. She pointed at the crystal in the shield-like box on it. "A friend gave me this crystal, it's a really strong power source. Right now, I can make a shield, shoot lightning from my gloves, and if I spend some time charging up some energy I can send out a pretty big blast. Well, at least I think I can, didn't really want to test that out on my ship."

Phil and Hercules looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. "Well, you certainly sound prepared" Phil said. "But don't let it get to your head."

Sam sighed. "I've basically spent the whole last week recovering from getting my ass handed to me, so uh... yeah, no worries there."

"Well, I got two words for you: Forget-about-it!" Phil said. "You won't get very far if you let that keep you down. Come on, we better get you down there. You're up next!"

Sam nodded, and followed Phil down the stairs to a large set of doors. The clamor outside seemed to be dying down, and Sam heard a woman's voice announcing that the previous competitor had placed in the bronze tier. Sam recognized it as being the same lady who took her information at the gate.

"Alright kid" he told her, "Give them a real good show!" Phil walked off, leaving Sam standing there on her own.

After a few moments of silence, the announcer spoke up again. "Please welcome our next contestant!"

At this, the doors opened and Sam walked out into the center of the coliseum, taking the glove off her mechanical hand and putting it into her pocket. Steep rows of seats, packed tightly, lined the sides of the arena.

The announcer continued. "Hailing from the distant land of Hermferfer, this young warrior is a lady who'd rather fight the nightmarish monsters we host than answer a question! Wish the best of luck to Sam!"

Everyone cheered as she took her position, and Sam cringed in embarrassment at the announcer's subtle dig. Without further fanfare the announcer proclaimed "Round one, begin!"

At that, three Shadow Heartless appeared in front of Sam in a puff of smoke about five feet away. They shook a bit, as if they were agitated more than normal, and began sprinting towards her. Sam shouted in surprise and dove out of the way as they all leaped at her. Sam rolled quickly and got up on one knee, pointing the palm of her mechanical hand towards the creatures and firing a blast of electricity.

The bolt struck one of the Heartless square between the eyes, crackling over its body before leaping through the air to the shadow just beside it. The two creatures howled as they fizzled away in a furious electrical fire, and the third creature jumped towards her again with renewed fervor. Sam quickly dodged to the side and stood up, and both she and the shadow turned to face each other again. The shadow started charging at her once more, and Sam flicked her wrist. When she did so, a large hexagonal energy shield formed around the emitters on her mechanical arm; and she jumped at the Heartless shield-first, swatting it out of the air and smashing it into the ground with a sweep of her arm.

Disoriented, the shadow tried to stand back up, but teetered around momentarily before Sam blasted it with a bolt from her hand.

The crowd cheered in delight, and Sam could feel her adrenaline rushing. "All right" she panted. "I can do this, no sweat."

"Round two!" the announcer called. Once again, there was a puff of smoke, and this time a small, fat dog monster with swirly ears and a spiky collar appear. It, too, promptly began dashing at Sam, trying to ram her.

Sam once again jumped to the side to dodge the attack, and as it skidded past her she shot at it with a bolt of electricity. The mad dog shook a bit, but turned to face her relatively unscathed and fired a vortex of wind at her. Sam ducked beneath this, and fired another bolt into its mouth.

The dog shook its head as if it had tasted something strange, but seemed otherwise undisturbed.

"I guess that's not going to work on you", Sam muttered under her breath. The dog shivered in rage, and charged again. Sam swept herself to the side, and then once again as the dog made a furious return, Sam's hand started to crackle with electricity, the blue veins across the copper panel shining brighter and brighter. The dog made one more furious dash towards Sam, and she jumped over him, vaporizing it in a massive blast of raw energy as it passed beneath her.

Sam landed to thunderous applause, and quickly jumped up, ready for the next fight. She did not have to wait long, and five helmeted Heartless appeared at the announcement of round three. Sam activated her shield again, backing up to try to keep them from surrounding her. They eyed her shield cautiously, but did not seem worried about it. Sam looked back and forth between them, then put out her left hand and shot a weak bolt of electricity from the metal fingertips on her glove. The Heartless dodged the attack easily and dashed at her in the blink of an eye, but Sam managed to get her shield between them quickly and stopped the incoming attack with a hefty thud.

The others had taken advantage of this distraction, and had very quickly managed to encircle Sam. She had seen this before, during one of the earlier competitor's qualification rounds, and knew that they were all about to charge her at once. She slowly turned in a slow circle, hand beginning to crackle with electricity again as her arm once more began to glow, the shield shimmering brighter than before as she stared down the monsters around her, waiting for them to make the first move.

As Sam had expected, they all dashed towards her at once, quickly and furiously. When they did, Sam jumped into the air with her shield flat out beneath her, and she released the charge. The shielded crackled with a loud pop, sending a massive blue shock wave out over the ground and cutting all five Heartless neatly in half.

Sam regained her feet, panting as round 4 was signaled. Two groups of five flying Heartless appeared both in front of her and behind her. They had pointed fronts with tiny windshields, and propellers sticking out behind them.

Wasting no time, Sam thrust out her mechanical hand towards one of the groups, shooting out dozens of small bolts that almost seemed like an electrical mist. These bolts hit the Heartless, and a blue energy began crackling over their surface. Sam turned around to hit the other group, the glow on her arm changing from blue to red, but she was too slow and was rammed by the second set. Sam fell to the ground, rolling for a second in pain from the attack before getting up again. The first group, still crackling with blue electricity, had recovered from their surprise and made their own dive run at her. Sam dodged out of the way, but was nicked in the shoulder by one of them and was flipped to the ground again.

Sam stood up again, scratched and bruised, and fired a red spray of electricity at the second group as they swooped down at her. They flew right through it, careening into Sam and knocking her off her feet and to the ground. Sam stood up, her face and shoulders bloodied now, and looked at the two groups. Both now had the electricity crackling across them, one group red and one group blue. Sam smiled and raised her mechanical arm, sending out a pulse of energy. The red and blue electricity sparked brightly, and both groups suddenly began being pulled towards each other; smashing together and crashing into the ground.

"Magnetism, bitches!" Sam shouted, unleashing a massive blast of electricity at the pile and incinerating them in furious electrical flames.

The crowd cheered again, and the announcer spoke up over the clamor. "Sam of Hermferfer has made it through the round four challenge, and will be placed in the Silver Tier League."

Sam, bloodied and battered, smiled a huge grin and pumped her arms into the air. "Yeah!"

"Hey Kid!" Phil called from the door. "Come on, get outta the arena! You can't fight for the other competitors!"

Sam laughed and began walking to the door; only then realizing just how badly she was aching. Once she made it over, Phil continued.

"That wasn't half-bad, but you took a pretty bad beating." Phil said. "You're allowed to use potions out there if your health is getting low. You can use as many as you can carry, so don't be so stingy with them. How many hits were you going to let that pretty face of yours take before you used one?"

Sam scoffed at Phil's 'pretty face' remark, thinking about her brother, but quickly snapped out of it. "Wait, potions? What sort of potions?"

Phil gaped at her. "What? Are you for real? Come on! Health Potions! They help you heal up so you can keep fighting. Without those, you won't make it very far in the games."

Sam frowned. "I didn't know. Where I'm from, we don't have anything like that at all. If we get hurt," She paused, motioning towards her arm. "We either heal up the slow way, or not at all."

Phil shook his head. "No potions! Well, come on with me then. I know a girl who runs a potion shop, she's a real talented mage and makes the best potions in town. I don't think her shop is open for too much longer, so we better get going quick."

Sam sighed and followed behind, her steps heavy and tired. Phil was surprisingly quick, but she managed to follow him through the crowds until they reached a storefront on one of the smaller side streets.

"All right, here you go, kid. I'd go in with you, but it's impossible to have a short visit here and I've got stuff to do. Just tell her I sent you and you should be good."

Sam nodded tiredly. "Alright, thanks."

Phil waved goodbye to Sam as she entered the potion shop. Shelves lined the walls, each one covered in various pots and flasks which were labeled in the local script. Near the back of the room was a counter that stretched the entire way across, and behind the counter were five large cauldrons, as well as several contraptions with glass tubes and bottles underneath. Behind the counter was a woman in her mid-twenties, with her burnt orange hair styled in a half crown braid. She had been reading a book when Sam walked in, but noticed her quickly and stood up to greet her.

"Oh, hello" the girl said gently. "Welcome to my potion store! My name is Velcia, please let me know if you need any help finding anything."

Sam nodded. "Oh, thanks. Um, Phil sent me here to get some potions."

Velcia smiled and came around the counter. "Well, you are certainly in the right place! I make all sorts of potions here, what kind do you need?"

"To be honest, I don't even know." Sam said. "I didn't even know there was such a thing until today. I think Phil specifically said healing potions, but if you have other kinds I guess I should figure out what's up with those too."

"Of course, I can get those for you." Velcia said, and she started gathering some off the shelves. "Are you fighting in the coliseum trials?"

"Yeah, I did the qualification round today and tomorrow I'm supposed to do the real thing. Some stupid flying things got some lucky hits on me, but I got them pretty good back." Sam said with a satisfied grin.

Velcia laid out several potions on the counter and explained them each to Sam, there were healing potions of different potency, as well as several that could help in other ways by increasing the user's strength or defense in different ways. Sam listened to all of it intently.

"You know" Sam said, "Until recently I didn't even know magic was even real. This stuff is kind of blowing my mind."

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" Velcia asked.

"I'm from a place called Montressor, it's pretty far away from here."

"Montressor… that's a whole other world, isn't it?" Velcia asked.

Sam seemed a bit surprised. "Yeah, it is. Have you been there?"

"Oh no, not me. It's just, everyone here on Olympus is pretty familiar with magic, and I've never heard of Montressor before. My great-great-great-great Grandma used to travel to all sorts of different worlds… so I guess I just figured that you came from another world, too. What brought you here?"

Sam sighed. "That's a long story. I really want to help one of my friends out, but this guy she works for is a bit of an ass and doesn't want me to. Basically, I've gotta fight my way through the coliseum to try and prove I'm worthy or some crap." Sam perked her head up defiantly. "It doesn't matter though, I'll probably try to find a way to help whether he likes it or not."

Velcia smiled. "You're a good friend. Not many people would go through that much trouble!"

Sam shrugged. "I'm just trying to do somethin' useful with myself." she said dismissively, turning her head a bit to the side.

"Do you have any place to stay while you're here?"

"Eh, I've got my ship. It's got some tools and stuff in it I was going to use to work on my arm tonight…" Sam brought her arm forward a bit. "I've got some ideas for things I can add to help out."

Velcia looked over at Sam's mechanical arm. "I've never seen anything like it! Did you make that?"

Sam smiled proudly. "Sure did. It's pretty customizable too. I'm kind of hoping I can find some way to put the potions in little vials that can fit in this empty space here, so I don't have to carry them around."

Velcia beamed. "Oh, I can help with that! I've got vials of all sizes, and I'll make sure that the potions will work effectively for you!"

"Well, that would be great. But… Phil said you weren't going to be open for much longer, and I don't want to make you keep your store open too late. I'll try and figure it out on my own." Sam said

"Don't worry about that!" Velcia said. "Why don't you stay at my place for the night, and we can work on it together!"

Sam agreed, and after Velcia locked up the shop they both went upstairs. Velcia showed Sam her guest room, and Sam beamed down her supplies from the ship. After she made sure it was all there, Sam sprawled out over the soft bed and breathed a relaxed sigh.

"I've got some dinner here, if you would like any." Velcia told her, peeking into the room. "You can bring your tools out into the living room, I don't mind if you use the table for your work."

Sam closed her eyes, still enjoying the plush paradise. "Thanks, I'll be out in a minute."

After a hearty meal of soup and bread, Sam started setting up on the table to begin her modifications. Velcia came over with a few different sizes of small vials.

"These are the smallest ones I have. If I make some any smaller, I don't think you will have enough potion to do any good." Velcia explained.

Sam looked them over, and picked one up. "I think this one will be perfect, I have some pipes I can use to hold these. I can probably fit six of these on here."

Velcia clapped softly. "Oh, hooray! I should have plenty of these downstairs."

Sam smiled as she rolled the vial back and forth in her fingers. "Say, how exactly do you use these potion things, anyways?"

"Oh, there are a lot of ways! Usually people either drink them, or they break the vial open and the potion sort of turns into a mist that falls over them. I have to make the mixture differently depending on what you want." Velcia told her. "Drinking the potion takes a little longer to heal you completely, but it will be more effective. Using the mist potions is really fast, but won't be able to heal deeper wounds as effectively."

Sam looked down at her arm. "I don't think I'm going to be drinking anything out of this. I guess I'll try the mist potions."

Both the girls worked quietly for a short while, Velcia preparing the potions in the vials as Sam began welding together parts for her potion device.

"So is the friend you're trying to help from Montressor too?" Velcia asked, breaking the silence.

"No" replied Sam, thinking for a moment. "I'm not actually sure where she's from, now that you mention it. She got trapped in my galaxy when the world border came back up, and one of my schoolmates, Jim, found her and brought her back to Montressor."

"Your world border went down?" Velcia asked, astonished. "That's not good! What happened?"

"I guess there's been some organization breaking them down, and sending those Heartless creatures everywhere for some reason. On my world, they've been really troublesome. I'm kind of surprised that they're just being used for sport here." Sam noted before asking. "Actually, how do you know about the world borders? From what Hinata tells me, they're kind of a secret. Di… uh, Hinata's employer, seems to think keeping all that stuff a secret is a big deal."

"My Grandma told me all about it" Velcia explained. "See, I don't really belong on Olympus. Well, I mean, it's my home; but I'm not really a part of this world proper."

Sam looked at her quizzically. "Uh… what?"

"Hmm" Velcia murmured, trying to think of a way to explain, "Well, my great-great-great-great grandma wasn't from here to start with. She was one of many warriors sent out to different worlds by a group called the Foretellers; and the warriors were all supposed to try and gather a special light energy called Lux to prevent an oncoming darkness. After all that, she moved here to Olympus and married my great-great-great-great grandpa, and my whole family has lived here since."

"That's pretty cool." Sam said. "So how do you not belong here if your family has been here that long?"

"Well, since neither Grandma Velcia nor Grandpa Halmon were from Olympus originally, we're never really a proper part of the timeline." Velcia said.

Sam squinted her eyes. "Uh… You lost me again."

Velcia cocked her head. "You don't know?"

Sam shook her head. "Uh… Nope."

"Oh dear." Velcia said, frowning. "Well, from what my mom told me, each world has a timeline that resets and loops after a while. When Grandma Velcia first came here while she was helping the foretellers, Hercules was about the same age he is now. But her daughter, great-great-great-grandma Esordia, was here when the timeline reset and actually got to meet Hercules when he was just a little boy."

Sam leaned back a little bit. "What?"

"Well, it's a little weird I guess" Velcia said. "Each world's timeline seems to be tied to specific, definitive events, and sometime after those important events have happened the entire world goes through a time loop back to the start. The people who live in each world never realize, either, but sometimes their hearts remember."

"Ok", Sam said. "I'm not sure I really understand, but this seems like a big deal. How do you know all of this? Wouldn't your ancestors have forgotten like everyone else?"

"Well, if someone is in a world they don't belong in, they don't get reset. So my family never lost any of our memories. The resets don't seem to happen very often, I haven't had one happen in my lifetime yet." Velcia said.

"So… what happens if your world resets, and you aren't in it?" Sam asked, cautiously.

"It's complicated" Velcia said, biting her lip. "If you're not in your world when it resets, you won't exist in that go-around. You'll still be okay wherever you are, but as far as anyone in your world will be concerned… you'll never have existed at all. If it's someone who's super vital to the events that the timeline loops around, the reset won't happen until they return."

Sam sat wide-eyed, dropping her wrench to the table slowly. "So if Montressor resets while I'm gone…."

Velcia looked at Sam with a frown, and walked over to sit beside her. "I'm sorry you didn't know about this. I'm kind of upset that someone would send you away to another world without telling you what was at stake."

Sam sat in shock for a moment, thinking back to her earlier conversations with DiZ. She whispered angrily under her breath "What an ass."

"Huh?" Velcia asked, not sure she'd heard properly.

"Hinata's employer, actually you know what, screw it! His name is DiZ." Sam said defiantly. "DiZ kept trying to intimidate me into staying where I was, keep me from helping out, by being all mysterious and saying it would 'upset the order'. He was so focused on keeping his stupid secrets he wouldn't just come out and tell me what I was getting in to! That would have been good to know!"

"So what are you going to do?" Velcia asked.

"I… I don't know" Sam stammered, trying to get herself together. "But I do know the first thing I'm going to do is tear through this coliseum thing like nobody's ever seen and show that smug jerk who he's dealing with!"

The next thing Sam knew, Velcia had her arms wrapped around her in a big hug. She tensed up instinctively. "Uh… what are you doing?"

Velcia let go and scooted back, embarrassed. "I'm sorry… you just seemed like you needed a hug. I guess I must have been wrong…!"

"I'm not really a huggy-touchy person, especially with people I don't really know." Sam said. "But uh, thanks for the thought I guess."

"I'm sorry! That's just the way my whole family is. I'll start on those potions." Velcia said.

Sam nodded, and went back to working on her mechanical arm. They both worked late into the night, testing Sam's dispenser mechanism with varying mixes of potion until they found a combination they were both happy with before calling it a night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** Author's Note: SO! A lot of stuff is happening haha! Sam is officially a part of the team, or at least, she's trying to be. The next chapter will be continuing Sam's adventure on Olympus and then the following chapter we will be coming back to Hinata to go over everything that is happening while Sam is away.
> 
> And you may have noticed I put in a little nod to Kingdom Hearts: Unchained (great game, by the way). Velcia is actually my husband's character in that game (mine is Halmon). But the Velcia in this story is the Great-Great-Great-Great Granddaughter of the original Velcia that was in Kingdom Hearts: Unchained. It hasn't been specifically stated yet (as far as I know, I might be misinformed) how long ago Unchained took place before the events of Birth By Sleep, but considering it goes over the beginning of the Keyblade War, I figure it was a significant amount of time.
> 
> I know the time loop theory is a bit crazy. It's a head canon my husband and I have and we decided to add it to the story. In Kingdom Hearts Unchained you see Hercules as an adult; but then in Birth By Sleep he is a teen (just an example of time oddities). It's explained a bit in Unchained why that is (don't worry, I won't give spoilers), but there are still unanswered questions.
> 
> So we came up with the time loop idea. Every Disney world is set on a certain time loop. And when the certain events are completed (some take decades, depending on the events), the timeline of the world resets. It's complicated, but I feel like it also explains why Donald was so adamant about the 'World Order' in the first Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> But again, it's just a theory and head canon; so don't take my theory as actual canon for the game. I may very well be incorrect; but this is the theory I am basing on for this series. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to let me know! ***


	29. Coliseum Trials

Chapter 29

The next morning, Sam awoke to the delicious smell of cinnamon-sugar pastries wafting through the house. She sat up groggily, and after a minute or two of fighting the alluring comfort of the bed she stumbled her way out to the living room.

Velcia turned around with two plates of pastry, looking as tired as Sam did. "Good morning, Sam!" Velcia said, putting what pep she could into her voice. "I've got breakfast made for us, then you should probably get over to the coliseum! I'll be there a little later with my potion cart to sell to the competitors. Come by and see me when you need more, for you they're on the house."

Sam had picked up a pastry and stuffed it into her mouth the moment they were in reach, and held up a finger while she finished her bite. "Thanks" she said. "Man, that's good stuff. I should probably get going now, actually. Phil is supposed to train me and I don't know how much time I'll have before the event starts."

"That's fine! I was supposed to do all my packing last night, so I've got a busy morning too!"

Sam grabbed a couple more of the pastries before heading out the door, waving goodbye as she left. She gobbled the delicious breakfast treats down along the way, and had nearly just finished the last one when she saw Phil outside the coliseum tapping his foot.

Phil perked up a bit when he saw Sam, and as she approached he called out "What took you so long, huh? I thought you said you could go the distance?"

Sam looked at him blankly, not sure what to say.

"Come on Phil" Hercules said, coming out from the coliseum. "You've only been here a couple minutes – I seem to remember you spending most of the morning chasing after girls?"

Phil turned a bit red. "I uh. Well. I. I had to do somethin' to pass the time, huh? Anyways, the important thing is that Sam's here now. We don't have a whole lot of time, so let's get started. Follow us!"

Sam smirked, and followed Phil and Hercules wordlessly to a small training arena.

Phil wasted no time once they got there. "Ok kid, I saw what you got yesterday. You're no Herc, but no one is."

Hercules stifled a laugh, coughing conspicuously.

"Whatever, smart guy, of course you are." Phil waved him off before telling Sam, "But look, you've got the tools and some good ideas, but these monsters are no joke and you ain't got the experience. I'm going to see if we can change that."

"Alright then, what do I need to work on?" Sam asked, nodding.

"The biggest things that are going to help you out are working on your control of the fight and improving your timing. Yesterday, you were pretty patient – maybe a bit too much. You'd wait for the monsters to do something and then react, and the one time you started with the initiative you over-committed yourself and got swooped. Bam!"

"Ok, so what should I be doing?"

"You've got to control the pace of the fight. How fast can you use those lightning hands of yours?"

Sam held her arms out to her sides, pointing each hand at some nearby target dummies, before releasing several quick bursts of lighting in a series.

"Pretty quick." Sam said with a smile.

"Alright, so can you do that while you move?" Hercules asked her.

"Probably." Sam said, getting a look from Phil. "I mean, definitely. No problem."

Phil pointed out a small marked course around the training ground. It was an obstacle course, with all sorts of platforms and debris for runners to jump over and climb on.

"Alright then, run around this course a few times and let those dummies have it! Don't stop running, and don't stop with the lightning unless you have to!"

Sam put one hand on her overly-stuffed stomach and looked over the course. "Alright. I can do this."

Sam started off down the course, doing her best to shoot at the dummies as she navigated up, down, and around the terrain. As she finished the first loop, Phil stopped her.

"Ok, that was a good first try. I got a problem with your direction, though."

"What?" Sam asked between breaths.

"Well, that arm of yours can make a shield, but you're running with it on the outside of your circle. It's going to cost you time to position yourself if you need to use it. Try to always keep your metal arm between you and your enemy."

"Makes sense." Sam said. "I can shoot electricity out of both hands, so I can probably use my right hand to keep shooting while my shield is up."

"Sounds good to me." Phil said. "Hey Herc, you wanna help out this time? Put that divine strength of yours to some good use?"

Hercules chuckled. "Alright Phil, what do you want me to do?"

Phil smiled mischievously. "Alright Sam. This time around, you aren't shooting just any old dummy, I want you to try and hit Herc here. And I didn't train Herc to just take it! He'll be throwing stuff your way, too, so put that shield of yours to good use."

Sam and Hercules both looked at each other hesitantly, then back at Phil.

"I'm not so sure I should be throwing things at her, Phil." Hercules said.

"Well you aren't supposed to throw 'em hard! Besides, those monsters in the coliseum aren't going to go easy on her."

Hercules looked back at Sam, who nodded slowly before speaking up. "Ok, so I can deal with that… but this lightning isn't a joke. Are you sure this is a good idea? Can he handle it?"

Phil beamed with pride. "Can he handle it? Can he handle it?! This is THE hero, kid! Son of Zeus himself!"

Sam smiled a bit at Phil's enthusiasm, not sure how much of his description was real, but the confident yet somewhat bashful smile on Hercules' face reassured her.

"Alright then." Sam said. "I'm ready!"

Hercules dashed out to the area in the middle of the course, and was amused to find a sizable pile of small rocks waiting for him. "You were prepared for this, I see!" he called out.

Sam began her run around the course, clockwise wise this time, and began her electric assault. Hercules was quick and agile, leaping easily out of the way of her salvo. Sam scrambled up a small boulder, and Hercules took the opportunity to grab a couple of rocks.

"Look out!" he yelled, throwing them towards her.

Sam gasped, dropping to the ground as they flew overhead, then quickly jumped up and resumed her course.

"Sam!" Phil called. "Use your shield! If you're on the ground, you're dead!"

Sam nodded subtly as she fired more lightning towards Hercules. One or two managed to hit him, but he didn't seem to mind it much at all. Somewhat relieved that Phil's bragging wasn't just hot air, she boosted her efforts with renewed vigor.

"Woah!" Hercules yelled, jumping away and grabbing a few more rocks. "Here's back at you!"

Sam quickly activated her shield as she leaped across a small pit, the rocks smashing against the energy barrier and flying away in pieces.

Using her right hand, she continued to shoot electricity around the shield as she finished the course, safely blocking the remainder of Hercules' assault.

Phil smiled as she came up to him, and Hercules made his way over as well.

"That was good. Well, I mean, it was passable." Phil said. "You may be able to do this, eh Herc?"

Hercules nodded. "She's off to a good start."

Sam sat down on the ground, trying to catch her breath. "O… Okay" she started, "So how am I supposed to take running in a circle and use it to control the pace? I can't just run in circles all day."

Phil nodded. "Ok, so here's what you need to keep in mind. First thing is to keep moving. Second thing, use your quick attacks to keep your opponents on their toes. If they're trying to figure out how to get past your lightning and you're moving, they're going to have to work a lot harder to counter attack you."

"Got it"

"Now, third. Be patient, but not passive. If you have some clever trick up your toga, like that magnetism thing, wait until you have a good opportunity. Let them fumble a bit first so you can get a clean shot without putting yourself at risk."

"Ok," Sam said thoughtfully. "I guess it seems kind of simple when you put it like that. I need to stay mobile, don't over-commit, and save my big attacks for when they leave themselves open."

Phil and Hercules nodded. "Those are the basics, anyways." Phil said. "You had each of the individual elements yesterday, but you need to combine all three."

Sam nodded, still exhausted. "I don't suppose I've got time for a nap before the big event starts.

Hercules laughed. "I'm afraid not. But, you can drink this stamina potion, it'll do pretty much the same thing."

Sam nodded and drank the potion, shivering a bit as she felt a wave of rejuvenation wash over her. "Okay, that's really weird."

"You'll get used to it. Now come on, back to practice! You've only got an hour left before the big event!" Phil said.

Sam spent the rest of the time training with Phil and Herc, until finally it was time to start. The three of them made their way over to the main arena, waiting for Sam to be called in.

"Alright kid, you did good in the training but don't let it get to your head." Phil said seriously. "There's some mean stuff in there."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for helping me out with this." Sam said, taking a deep breath as she looked at the door in anticipation.

"Yeah yeah, don't mention it." Phil said with a small smile. "Oh yeah, these tiers each have three rounds. Between each set you can take a half hour break if you need to and get more supplies or just take a breather."

"Ok, so I have 6 health potions in my arm. I should try not to use more than two per round if I want to make sure I don't run out." Sam mused aloud.

"You scored pretty well yesterday" Hercules started, "So you're starting in one of the higher tiers today. It's going to be a big step up from what you fought before."

Sam nodded wordlessly, becoming more anxious to get it over with.

Thankfully for Sam, it was only a few minutes until the familiar voice of the announcer called her in. Once again she made her way to the center of the arena to great fanfare, the crowd even larger and more riled up than the day before.

"Our plucky heroine-to-be is starting today in the Silver Tier League! I need not remind you all that our last competitor was taken out in this very tier! Let's all wish Sam the best of luck, and let her show us how it is done!" The announcer proclaimed, much to the delight of the audience.

Sam stepped one leg back and raised her hands ahead of her in preparation as several puffs of smoke appeared in the arena. As the smoke cleared, three large, round Heartless slowly sauntered towards her. Sam stepped back in surprise, each of the monsters were at least twice her height, but she quickly regained her composure and began shooting small bursts of electricity towards them.

The monsters flinched and twitched a bit with each hit, but were ultimately unperturbed. Sam quickly ran to her right to begin strafing around them, and the nearest monster suddenly leaped towards her in an attempt to belly slam her.

Sam was too quick for that, however, and as the monster struggled back to its feet Sam blasted it with a powerful beam from her arm, which knocked the beast off its unstable footing and caused it to crash down on another monster behind it.

The third monster paid no mind to its troubled companions, and did its best to dash towards Sam for an attack.

Sam jumped to the side as it neared, rolling underneath the massive arm of the beast as it tried to swing a punch at her. Wasting no time, she took advantage of the opening presented to her and began blasting it with heavy blasts of lightning. The Heartless roared in anger, and turned around towards her again. Sam backed up a bit, then looked back to see the other two monsters had managed to compose themselves and were headed her way.

Turning back to the enraged Large Body ahead of her, Sam took a deep breathe to steady her hand and fired several quick bursts of electricity into the monster's face. The creature roared again and charged at her, now both infuriated and blinded by her assault. She had already moved out of its path, however, and it ran right into the other two monsters and they crashed into a large, fat heap.

Sam turned towards them, walking up slowly as the glow of her arm grew brighter and brighter as she raised her mechanical hand towards the stunned Heartless. It was only a second, but for the crowd the anticipation felt like minutes. A huge blast of lighting shot forth from Sam's hand, crackling over the heap of monsters as they began to burst in clouds of dark smoke.

The crowd was in a delighted uproar, cheering wildly. This was interrupted by another loud roar, and as the smoke cleared everyone could see that there was still one creature left. Black smoke billowed out of its wounds as it screamed again, making one last mad dash at Sam, hungry for payback. Sam, feeling a little cocky, ran towards the monster, and as it jumped towards her she dropped to the ground, sliding underneath it and cutting it neatly in half with one last beam blast from her arm.

She stood up, turning around to look at it to make sure it was finished. The monster quickly disappeared, and the announcer wasted no time in calling for her to take her position for round two. Sam walked to her spot; though not too quickly so as to allow herself time to recover her breath. Once she'd taken her position, the arena was quickly filled with puffs of smoke and several swarms of flying Heartless appeared all around her.

"Oh for frick's sake" Sam muttered, remembering the trouble she had with only two swarms the previous day.

Seeing that she was already surrounded, Sam initiated hostilities by blasting several bolts of lightning directly ahead of her. The flying Heartless were quick, and dodged to the sides. Sam ran towards them and continued firing, slowly spreading her arms apart as she did. The Heartless continued to evade her blasts, not realizing that doing so created an opening for her to escape their ring.

Once she was no longer completely surrounded, Sam turned around and continued to fire as she desperately tried to think of a plan. There was not enough room to run away from them, and already they had begun moving to surround her again. Sam began to turn in a circle, trying desperately to keep an eye on each group and send some lighting their way if they seemed to be getting too confident; but the numbers were simply not in her favor and soon enough a group had spotted an opening and dive bombed her, throwing her to the ground.

Sam groaned and quickly rolled onto her back, disintegrating the next impatient swarm with lightning and buying herself time to regain her feet. Yet another group dove towards her, and she quickly raised up her shield to try to block them. The Heartless, caught off-guard, slammed into the shield face first and bounced off, careening wildly to the ground in a dizzy stupor. Sam quickly sent bursts of lighting towards the dazed monsters, destroying most of them before they could recover.

However, as she did so the rest of the Heartless had once again surrounded Sam; a fact she quickly noticed. She held up her shield towards each group as they would swoop down, but they now knew better and would quickly pull away before crashing into it.

Sam's arm began to glow, the blue energy of the shield pulsating as it charged. Sam dodged one more swooping swarm, and seeing her opportunity, raised her shield flat above her head and overloaded it, sending out a large shockwave that tore through the monsters. Only a couple survived the attack, falling to the ground from the force of the shockwave before Sam wisely finished them with her lightning blasts.

As she walked back to the center of the arena, she remembered her potions and decided it was as good a time as any to use one. Sam pressed the new potion button on her arm and it immediately sprayed out a refreshing mist, and Sam was surprised how quickly she felt rejuvenated.

The next wave of Heartless appeared, this time their group more diverse. Three of them looked like short, fat cannons with stubby legs; these immediately began to scamper off to the corners of the arena. The other two looked very similar to hammers, with spindly arms and legs. These two began to walk towards Sam, but weren't particularly fast.

Ignoring the cannons, Sam immediately began firing away at the hammer monsters. The shots caused them to stagger, but they did not change their course of action. Sam took a couple steps back, accidentally dodging a cannonball that had been launched towards her. She leaped back in surprise, then quickly looked around the arena and saw that the cannons had taken positions a safe distance away to pelt her from a distance.

Sam quickly ran towards the nearest cannon, blasting the mostly-stationary beast with powerful bolts of lightning. The electricity crackled around it, but it seemed completely unperturbed by her assault. Changing tactics, Sam fired an energy beam at the monster as she strafed around it, this too seemed ineffective.

By this point, the hammers had caught up to her, and one of them jumped at Sam, swinging its head down with extreme force. Sam dodged the blow, but the force of the impact sent out a shockwave that threw her off her feet.

Sam lay on the ground for a second in a daze, catching movement out of the corner of her eye. The next thing she knew, one of the hammer Heartless was leaping at her again for the killing blow. She yelped in surprise and rolled out of the way, another shockwave sending her tumbling once again.

"Damn it!" she coughed hoarsely, scrambling dizzily to her feet. There was a loud boom from across the arena, and as Sam turned towards it she saw another cannonball barreling straight at her. Sam quickly activated her shield, blocking the shot straight on. The cannonball disintegrated on impact, but the force of it caused her to stumble backwards.

One of the hammer monsters was nearing her once again, and as Sam turned towards it she heard yet another bang. She quickly spotted the incoming cannonball, and held up her shield again, eying the hammer who was inching ever closer.

Sam readjusted her stance, angling the shield towards the hammer. The cannonball crashed against the shield and bounced off, barely missing the creature. The hammer stopped moving for a second, trying to figure out what was going on. Another shot was fired and Sam fine tuned the angle of her shield. This time, her ricochet was true and the monster exploded in smoky flames.

A victorious smile cracked across Sam's face, her mind racing with new ideas. She quickly used a potion to heal her wounds, and ran towards the nearest cannon. Once she got close enough, she hit it with a powerful burst of her red magnetic electricity; which crackled around the creature.

Turning towards the remaining hammer, she shot a couple quick blasts of electricity in an attempt to enrage it. As she hoped, it growled and began trying to dash towards her. The Heartless reared back its head and leaped into the air, ready to smash Sam with its mightiest swing.

This plan was ill-conceived, however, and as soon as the hammer's feet left the ground Sam blasted the creature with her blue magnetic charge. The two monsters were suddenly pulled towards each other at high speed; the hammer crushing the cannon with a thunderous crack.

The hammer stumbled around in a daze for a few seconds, not sure what had happened or who it had smashed. Sam took advantage of this and ran to another cannon, hitting it with another magnetic field. She then fired some electricity at the hammer to get its attention; but the third cannon had her in its sights and began firing at her. Sam held up her shield and tried her best to deflect the shots as she waited for her opportunity.

The hammer once again came over and quickly showed that it had not learned from its mistake, once again leaping towards Sam. With an amused chuckle, she repeated the magnetism trick and a second cannon was destroyed; the hammer once again staggering as it tried to get its bearings.

Sam had been so caught up in this, however, that she had entirely forgotten about the third cannon until she heard the loud boom of its attack. She quickly activated her shield again and leaped away, holding her shield in the cannon's general direction and praying that it would be effective.

The cannonball bounced off Sam's shield as she skidded along the ground, careening off into the hammer Heartless, who had just gotten itself together and had begun approaching her. The unfortunate monster was hit square in the head and was sent flying into the arena wall, where it exploded violently.

Sam looked back towards the final cannon, unsure now how she was going to deal with it. The cannon kept up a steady stream of fire, each shot bouncing away harmlessly off Sam's shield as she contemplated their stalemate.

Sam slowly walked towards the cannon, paying careful attention to the creature's attack. As she got closer, Sam realized that instead of firing directly at her, the monster was instead firing the cannonballs into the air in hopes that the shots would fall on her and catch her in the explosion. As Sam approached, the shots were being launched higher and higher to make up for the shorter distance they had to travel.

Sam cocked her head curiously, and hit the creature with a magnetic shot as she moved close. The cannon was scrambling back away from her, trying to keep a safe distance between them, but soon enough found itself in a corner. The flustered Heartless retaliated with another arced cannonball high into the air. As the shot neared its highest point, Sam blasted the cannonball with another magnetic blast. The cannonball crackled as it blasted back towards the ground, smashing into the final Heartless with a meteoric impact and leaving a smoldering crater. Sam smiled proudly as she turned around, walking back to the center of the arena for her next fight.

Sam fought hard well into the afternoon, making her way through both the Gold and Platinum Leagues before the announcement was made that there would be three hour long intermission before the final rounds started. Sam, battered and tired, was very relieved.

As she left the arena, she was greeted by Hercules and Phil.

"Wow Sam, you were incredible out there!" Hercules said. "Very impressive for a mortal."

Sam eyed him for a moment with a 'what-is-that-supposed-to-mean' expression, but quickly shrugged it off. "Thanks, Hercules."

Phil almost looked like he was holding back tears. "I can't believe, kid! You went the distance after all!"

Sam gave a tired smile. "Well, it's not over yet… they said I've still got the Master Tier in a couple hours."

Hercules waved his hand dismissively. "Don't be so modest. You've already made it through more than many could."

Sam sighed. "If you say so. Maybe I'll feel better after I've had something to eat."

The three said some quick goodbyes, and Sam walked out of the coliseum in search of food. Just outside the doors, she spotted Velcia next to her cart with dozens of potions on display. Velcia saw Sam and waved her over excitedly.

"Hi Sam! How did it go?" She asked.

"Pretty good, I think. I made it all the way through platinum tier and am on a break before the master tier starts in a couple hours. I was just going to try to find some food." Sam explained.

"Oh, Now that you mention it, I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast, either. Since you have that much time, why don't you come back to my place for dinner?" Velcia offered.

Sam nodded. "Okay, if you insist. Do you need help bringing your cart back?"

"Nope!" Velcia assured her. "I can just close the sides and lock it down, the coliseum guards will made sure nobody wheels it off."

Velcia did so, and two made their way back to her house. Sam wasted no time plopping herself down on the couch, staring at the wall in a tired daze until Velcia returned some time later with a delicious meal of steak and vegetables.

Sam took a bite of the steak, her eyes watering just a bit as she did. "You have no idea how fantastic this is right now."

Velcia laughed, and they both enjoyed the hearty meal. Once they were finished Sam leaned back again on the couch as Velcia cleared the plates.

When Velcia returned, Sam pointed at something hanging on the wall. "What is that, exactly? I've been trying to figure it out but can't make heads or tails of it."

Velcia looked over at the wall and saw what Sam was asking about. It looked similar to a sword with a purple blade, but the hilt had an intricate weave of vines looped around it which spiraled up to the end of the blade, which had a bundle of incredibly detailed roses made of metal.

"Oh, that's my great-great-great-great-grandma's old Keyblade, the Divine Rose." Velcia explained. "Back in her day, it was a very powerful weapon with incredible magic that could dispel darkness."

Sam sat up a bit, intrigued. "Hinata mentioned one of her friends, Sora I think, had one of those. She seemed to think it was a big deal."

Velcia looked back at the heirloom. "Well, it might be. This one lost its magic some time after the war was over. It's not really much good as a sword anymore, but I find it makes a good staff when I need to cast magic."

Sam blinked for a second. "Oh yeah, Phil said you were a mage, didn't he?"

Velcia nodded. "Yes, my family has always been pretty strong with magic. I've spent most of my life studying it, and that's helped me with my potion making."

"My friend Hinata pretty recently learned she has water magic. Before that, I didn't even really know that it was real. What kind of magic do you have?" Sam asked.

"Well" Velcia started. "I don't really have just one kind. I've learned a little bit of everything, but I'm the strongest with Life magic."

"...Life magic?" Sam repeated.

"Oh, sorry. I mean stuff like healing spells, magic that can make you tougher or stronger for a while, give you better resistances to elements. I've also learned how to invert them, and use the spells in damaging ways."

"Oh wow, you can invert them just like that? That's got to be pretty awesome." Sam said.

"Hm, I'm not sure I'd say it's a simple thing… but once you understand what the positive life magic does in detail, you can start to learn how to change it around. I... don't really like doing that, though… It kind of scares me." Velcia said, turning her head a bit. "Against the dark monsters that show up from time to time, I don't mind as much but… I just don't think I could ever bring myself to use that magic against any person."

Sam nodded. "I understand. My friend Hinata's gotten in trouble with DiZ a couple times now because she refuses to kill anything that isn't a Heartless."

Velcia smiled. "I think her and I would get along nicely."

Sam nodded, and yawned. "Um, if you don't mind, I think I could use a nap."

"Not at all. I can wake you up before your final round starts, if you'd like." Velcia offered.

"That'd be great, thanks."

An hour or so later, Sam woke up from her nap feeling well-refreshed, and the two prepared to head back. The weather outside had changed, and the sky was filled with clouds, bitter winds blowing down the streets.

Sam stuck her head out the door and looked around. "Wow, that changed quickly."

Velcia looked out as well, shivering a bit. "Yes, it did. Something doesn't feel right about this storm, though."

Sam turned and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know." Velcia said. "It just feels… ominous."

"Well, should we stay here then?" Sam asked.

"No, no… I might just be imagining things. I don't want you to miss out on the end of your tournament. Hercules is here, so everything will be fine I'm sure."

Sam frowned. "You're not exactly filling me with confidence, here."

Velcia forced a smile. "I'm sorry. I just worry too much sometimes. You go on ahead, I'll be there soon. There isn't much traffic at the potion cart after the Master Tier starts, so when that dies down I'll go watch you compete."

Sam nodded hesitantly. "Alright, I'll see you later then."

She turned and walked out into the windy streets, making her way to the coliseum. Nobody else seemed concerned by the sudden storm, and the festivities of the carnival soon restored Sam's spirit. Once at the coliseum, she went back upstairs and found Phil and Hercules talking. They were speaking in hushed tones, but Sam couldn't make out what they were saying.

Hercules noticed Sam quickly, and stood up with a smile. "Hey, there she is! You ready for the Master Tier?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Sam said, before adding. "Well, unless there's a chance I could get more sleep first. I'd be more ready then."

Phil laughed. "That's funny! But come on, there's just three rounds left. You can do it!"

"Thanks, Phil" Sam said, yawning. "Any idea what I should expect? I would assume a 'Master Tier' isn't going to have just anything in it."

"No and no." Phil said. "From what I hear, the monsters in the Master Tier are some of the rarest and most dangerous they've found. I have no idea what to expect."

Sam sighed. "Oh great. They better not fly."

Hercules punched her shoulder gently. "Ah come on, you took care of those flying guys easily enough!"

Sam grunted, but didn't say anything. They stood there for several minutes, the weather growing ever colder. Sam looked down at a nearby cup of water and noticed frost beginning to form on the surface.

"Is it normal for it to get this cold this fast?" She asked.

Hercules and Phil looked at each other, and then Hercules responded. "To be honest, not really. I've never seen this happen."

"Me neither" Phil added. "But… we don't have any idea why it's happening. Might just be a bad cold snap."

Sam frowned, thinking back to what Velcia had said. "I guess there's no sense in worrying about it right now", she mumbled.

Finally, Sam was called down to begin the final tier. Sunset had started behind the thick clouds, darkening the arena. Massive torches were lit all around the battlefield, the billowing flames casting dancing shadows everywhere as they flickered in the wind.

Sam walked out to the center of the arena, shivering a bit in the frigid air but doing her best to warm her muscles and loosen up for the imminent fight.

The announcer's voice boomed out across the stadium. "Welcome back, everyone! This is the first round of the Master Tier! Many combatants have struggled in these walls today, but only three have made it this far! Please give a warm applause for Sam, who has amazed us all today with her ingenuity!"

The crowd cheered wildly, causing Sam to blush. "Only two others made it here, huh?" she murmured.

"Now, without further delay! Master Tier, round one!"

A puff of smoke billowed across the arena from Sam, and as it blew away she saw a very human looking creature awaiting her. It was tall and wore a gray outfit, carrying two long swords. It did not seem to have a face, its head hidden underneath a dark gray helmet.

Sam held up her arm instinctively and activated her shield, her mind racing with worry over the sharp-looking blades brandished before her. She looked down at her outfit, cringing at her lack of any armor. The monster shook as if it were laughing, but in the blink of an eye began dashing towards Sam.

Sam grimaced, bracing herself before the swords clashed against her shield, blue sparks flying everywhere. The monster kept up its assault, striking so quickly and violently that Sam began to lose her footing. She shoved her arm forward, pushing the monster back a bit before quickly dropping her shield and firing a massive bolt of electricity at it.

The monster reeled back a bit from the blast, but very quickly was back on the offensive; swinging both blades. Sam leaped back, chills shivering up her back as the sword scraped along her mechanical arm with a terrible screech.

Sam quickly reactivated her shield, ever more worried about the price to pay if one of the swords hit her body. The monster continued the assault, trying to strafe around Sam as it did in hopes of making it past her defense.

Sam began charging the shield, the vibrant glow lighting the ground around them. Taking a deep breath, she stopped turning to face the monster and let it strafe beside her. The monster raised its sword and swung at her, but as soon as it did Sam overloaded the shield and blasted off a shockwave.

The wave of energy tore through the sword as well as the creature's arm, severing it cleanly off. The monster roared in anger, and with its one good arm came at her again.

Sam continued blocking the swipes, now coming at her from every angle as the monster desperately tried to hit past the shield. Sam starting charging her shield again, a fact the monster took notice of. The beast immediately positioned itself directly in front of the shield, to avoid the inevitable shockwave it was sure awaited it.

Sam lunged forward suddenly, bashing the monster to the ground with her shield, then quickly unleashed a massive beam of energy from her crystal, incinerating the beast as it tried to scrambled back to its feet.

Sam sighed a breath of relief, returning to the center of the stadium amidst the crowd's cheers.

Round two sounded off, another puff of smoke dissipating in the growing winds to reveal a short, stubby creature only three feet high. The top half of it was a large clear bulb filled with orbs of all colors. The monster's face was on the lower half, with small glowing yellow eyes separated by massive, sharp teeth.

Sam eyed the creature cautiously, waiting for it to make the first move. They stood there, staring at each other in anticipation for nearly a complete minute. Sam, losing her patience, began firing bolts of electricity at the beast; who continued to simply sit there and take it.

Sam stopped, now entirely unnerved, and stared at it for a couple seconds more before unleashing her most powerful blasts at her ignorant foe. The monster, however, did nothing but blink and gnash at her.

The attacks soon ceased, their futility obvious now to Sam, and she began walking cautiously towards the creature hoping to get some kind of reaction. As she approached, she activated her shield for good measure, keeping it between them.

Soon, Sam was right on top of it, merely a foot away, and still it did nothing. Sam's face was scrambled in bewilderment. "What the hell kind of game are you playing?!" she demanded.

The monster blinked, and hopped a little bit, but otherwise did nothing. As it hopped, the colorful orbs bounced around in the bulb.

Sam studied the creature, and noticed what appeared to be a small dial at the base of the orb with writing above it. Squinting her eyes to try and read it in the dark lighting, she finally was able to make out the words 'Insert Coin'.

"What the…?" Sam said, staring at it. She looked at the creature, and hesitantly stood up straight, dropping her shield. "I'm going to feel like a damn fool when this turns out bad for me." she said, reaching into her pocket and grabbing one of her Montressor Doubloons.

The creature eyed her intently, still gnashing its teeth but otherwise motionless. She reached her hand forward gingerly, putting the coin in a slot above the knob before turning it.

There was a loud clicking sound, and Sam jumped back with a yelp, activating her shield once more. The creature opened its mouth wide with the hint of a smile, promptly exploded in a mist of confetti with only the orbs remaining. The orbs rolled a bit before bursting open, containing munny and various rare gems.

Sam stared at the unexpected bounty, mouth agape; as did the crowd. There was an awkward silence throughout the arena. Eventually, Sam shrugged and picked up the prizes that had been dropped for her, putting them in her pocket as the announcer tried to move things along.

"Well, the Master Tier is always just full of surprises, isn't it?" the announcer said cheerily. "And now, everyone prepare for the final round!"

The large torches around the arena billowed their flames even larger, a wave of heat pushing away all the coldness of the night in a dramatic flash. The crowd cheered with reinvigorated excitement.

There was a large puff of smoke, darker than any seen the entire weekend, and as it billowed away only a large, dark shadow remained. The pitch black monster seemed fifteen feet high, a large muscular creature with wings, and enormous horns. In one hand it held a giant blue sword, larger than Sam herself, and it flicked its tail ominously behind it. A misty darkness filled the arena, blocking the light from the torches.

Sam stared up at the creature, gulping as she struggled to make out its shape against the inky black sky. The dark creature swooped away, and Sam began turning in circles, desperately looking for it. As she turned, the gleam of its sword caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, and she activated her shield just in time to block the fatal blow.

The force of the impact sent Sam flying, and she smashed into the wall with a crack. Sam screamed, grabbing her leg. She tried to stand up, pain streaking up her leg, and as she did she felt something warm trickle down her face. She touched her head gently but pulled it away quickly, gasping at the sight of her blood-soaked hand.

She looked up just in time to see the monster lunging for her, trying to impale her against the wall. Sam fell to the ground out of the way as the massive blade passed above her, throwing rubble across her as it stuck itself into the hard stone. Sam crawled out from underneath the beast as it struggled to free the sword, and she quickly double tapped her potion button, hoping a double dose would be more effective.

The potions worked quickly, and Sam felt herself recovering as the pain dispersed. She stood up, her leg still sore, as the dark monster freed the sword from the wall and turned back towards her. The beast quickly swept off into the darkness again, and Sam could hear its ominous laughter all around her.

Sam charged some energy again, holding her hands directly out to her sides and sending wide sprays of lightning all around her. The shadowed beast was caught right in the center of one of the bursts, and fell to the ground in a crackle of electricity.

Taking full advantage of the opening, Sam began firing powerful beams at the Heartless as it stood back up, scoring several good hits. The monsters yelled out, the darkness overshadowing the flames of the torches and once again blackening the arena. Sam desperately resumed sending out sprays of electricity, several of which caught the monster but no longer slowed it down. The dark monstrosity dove towards her sword-first, and she jumped out of the way. It turned around at the height of the swoop, and came down for another pass.

Sam dropped to the ground beneath it, hitting it with a magnetic charge the shadowy beast passed above her. She stood up, and the monster turned to face her with a maniacal cackle. The darkness in the arena thickened, the light nearly completely snuffed out. The Heartless zoomed around, circling Sam at high speed as it prepared the finishing blow. Sam's arm glowed brighter than ever, shining a brilliant blue light that pierced the darkness as she charged it.

Suddenly, there was an ear-shattering blast of thunder as a massive bolt of lightning shot out of Sam's mechanical arm, arcing through the air towards the Heartless, the sizzling energy chasing after the beast before finally catching up to it. The Heartless screamed a wretched cry as it burst into flames, the electrical explosion launching it into the ground where its ashes continued to smolder around the bent sword. The darkness lifted from the arena, where the crowd looked on in stunned silence before erupting into the loudest cheers of the weekend. Sam stood proudly, her face beaming underneath the thick coat of dust grime.

Hercules, Phil, and Velcia soon ran out to Sam; all three wearing enormous smiles.

"You did it, kid!" Phil exclaimed. "You really did it!"

"That was fantastic, Sam!" Hercules said.

Sam smiled at them. "Thanks, you guys. Your training really helped me." She turned to Velcia. "And those potions of yours saved my life… literally. I couldn't have done it without you guys."

Velcia beamed. "Come on, let's get you out of here! I made a cake to celebrate!"

Sam looked at her. "You made a cake in the two minutes since I won?"

Velcia laughed. "No, no, I made it earlier. I was very confident in you!"

Hercules lifted Sam up, placing her on his shoulders despite her protests. "Come on, let's go!" he said.

Suddenly, the ground shook with a terrible tremor, a deep roar bellowing from the distance. Sam turned to look, and out near Mount Olympus stood an enormous monster made of ice. It bellowed and stomped, the earth rumbling with each step.

"Uh, guys" Sam said, pointing towards it, "what is that?"

Hercules set Sam down quickly. "The Ice Titan!" he exclaimed.

"Hades must have let it out!" Phil growled. "That explains the weather! Go on Herc, show it what you're made of!"

Sam looked at them, then back at the Ice Titan. "Do you guys need any help?"

Hercules turned to her. "No, it's best if you stay here. That Ice Titan is something else."

Sam scoffed. "What are you trying to say exactly?"

Velcia put a hand on her shoulder. "Sam, the Titans are the most powerful monsters in all Olympus. Hercules is an immortal, Zeus's son… he's probably the only one who can, or should, fight those things."

Sam crossed her arms. "Alright. What should we do, then?"

Phil smiled at her. "You've got the heart to be a hero, kid, no doubt about it. Look, Hades doesn't usually just bring one monster and call it quits. You and Velcia should stay here with me and help keep these people safe in case anything else shows up."

"Alright" Sam said.

Hercules whistled, and down from the sky swooped a majestic white horse with beautiful wings.

"Come on, Pegasus!" Hercules shouted as he hopped on its back, "Let's go!"

With an enthusiastic whinny, Pegasus bounded into the sky. After Hercules disappeared into the distance, Sam turned to Velcia and Phil. "So what now, then?"

Before anyone could answer, an unfamiliar, high-pitched voice shot out across the arena from the announcer's podium.

"And now for the big event of the night!"

Another new voice, this one a little more nasally, shouted out.

"Put your hands together for the god of the underworld, the greeeat HADES!"

A brilliant blue fire burst out in the center of the arena, slowly dying down to reveal the form of a man in the center. The man had his arms out towards the crowd. "Thank you, thank you! It was a HELL of a trip!"

The arena was silent, filled with angry faces.

"Oh, wow, tough crowd!" Hades said, his blue fiery hair billowing.

"What do you want, Hades?" Phil spat.

"Well, I'm glad you asked." Hades crooned. "See, I heard there's another wanna-be hero traipsing around Olympus. Wonder boy is enough of a thorn in my side, you see, and so it's really just a matter of management here."

"Whaddya mean, management?" Phil asked angrily.

"Simple." Hades said. "You've got some champion of this…. Quaint little tournament who you're all set on proclaiming a hero. Now, your silly little wanna-be is never going to be a serious threat, haha… no. But it's just bad publicity for the god of the underworld to have so many do-gooders running around the land of the living. I've got an image to maintain."

"So what, you're going to kill her?" Phil said.

Sam growled, clenching her fists. "I'd like to see him try."

Hades burst out laughing, but it was insincere and mocking. "No, no… I'm not going to do anything. I think my friend here will be more entertained by such a mundane task."

Hades disappeared in a flash of fire, and out from the darkness slithered an enormous snake with two heads.

Velcia gasped. "The Hydra."

Phil grabbed Sam's arm. "You gotta stop that thing, Sam! Without Herc around, it'll wreak havoc!"

"Ok, what's our plan?" Sam asked.

Velcia grabbed her grandmother's Keyblade off her back. "You distract it; I'm going to try a powerful spell. It'll just take a moment to cast."

Sam nodded and ran towards the creature. "Hey, you big ugly thing!"

The Hydra looked down at her and hissed, swiping one of its heads to get a bite of her.

Sam jumped away from the head, blasting it with electricity as it passed. Suddenly, Sam heard Velcia call out "Great Decay!"

A blast of red energy burst towards the Hydra, hitting one of the heads right in the mouth. The creature screamed as the head slowly turned gray, crumbling into dust as it disintegrated into the wind.

"Holy crap!" Sam yelled out, quickly backing away from the falling dust.

The remaining head screeched, and from the shadows two more appeared.

"What?!" Velcia cried out.

"You gotta take all the heads out at the same time!" Phil shouted. "Each head you destroy will be replaced with two more!"

Sam scrambled back away from the Hydra, firing electricity at it to try and deter it from pursuing. "Velcia, can you hit all three heads at once?"

"No, not with that spell! I don't think the other ones will be strong enough!" Velcia said.

Sam looked back at the Hydra, watching the caustic saliva drip from its mouths. "You said you have defensing magic, right?"

"Yes, I do. What do you need?"

"Do you have anything that can keep me safe from that acid spit?" Sam asked with a grimace.

Velcia nodded, pointing her Keyblade towards Sam. A blue energy glowed from Velcia's hands, streaming down the blade like water before encircling Sam. "You should be safe now!"

"I'm a damn fool" Sam muttered.

"What?" Velcia asked.

Sam did not reply, instead rushed right up to the Hydra. "Hey you stupid beast, what's it like being so worthless, huh?!"

The Hydra cackled, the left head swiping down to take a bite. Sam jumped back, blasting it with her blue magnetic electricity. "Come on, are you blind? I'm right here!"

The right head bellowed, and took a turn swooping at her. Sam dropped down underneath it, hitting this head with the red electricity.

Standing back up, Sam held out one hand to each side, shooting streams of lightning at the left and right heads. "Is that the best you can do?!" She shouted.

The Hydra's middle head looked at Sam with a hungry smile, glancing left and right. Seeing its opening, it quickly snapped down, scooping Sam up in its mouth and swallowing her.

"Oh my god!" Velcia yelled.

"No! Kid!" Phil cried.

The Hydra choked a bit, struggling as if something were stuck in its throat. Suddenly, the electricity on the left and right heads crackled intensely, pulling them together in a violent spark. The center head was sandwiched between the two, and all three growled angrily. A blast of energy shot out from the Hydra's throat, the massive shock wave decapitating all three of the monster's heads simultaneously.

Phil and Velcia looked on, mouths agape, as the severed necks thudded to the ground. Sam crawled out of the center neck, gagging. "I am NOT doing that again… I'm going to be sick…!"

Before anyone could say anything else, Hades reappeared in the center of the arena, facing Phil and Velcia; the lifeless Hydra behind him.

"I sure hope I'm not too late" he laughed. "I think it's probably about time for me to escort my new hero to the underworld, huh?"

A burst of lightning crashed into Hades' back, and his face tensed up in frustration. "You know, I have an idea what that was, but I want to be wrong, I really do."

Hades then turned around, bursting into bright red flames of anger at the sight that awaited him. "WHAAAAAAT! Come on! The HYDRA?!" Faking a cough, he regained his composure. "I mean, yeah sure, whatever I've got dozens of those things."

"Get out of here." Sam growled.

"Look 'hero'" Hades said, wiggling his fingers like quotation marks when he said 'hero', "I don't want you to take this the wrong way. Beating a Hydra really isn't that impressive. You're lucky, that's it."

Sam smirked. "Yeah, sure."

"No really." Hades said. "I'd love to bring a real monster over here for you to play with, but I'm afraid I've got to keep them in shape for my real plans. Can't have them fattening up on something like you."

Sam crossed her arms, but Hades disappeared before she could say anything.

Phil and Velcia both walked over to Sam, and the crowd in the arena began to disperse.

"Are you okay, Sam?" Velcia asked.

"I'm sick to my stomach, but I think I'm fine." Sam said. "I think I could use a bath, though."

Velcia laughed. "Okay, I think you deserve at least that much!"

It wasn't long until Hercules returned, and he explained to them that the Ice Titan had suddenly turned around and retreated back into the underworld in the middle of their fight. Phil and Velcia filled Hercules in on what he'd missed while he was away.

"Geeze, Hades is getting desperate lately. I wonder what's had him so flustered." Hercules said. "Well, maybe it would be better to talk somewhere warmer. Velcia, is that offer for cake still open?"

Velcia smiled. "Of course!"

The four of them made their way back to Velcia's house, and after Sam had taken her bath they all enjoyed some delicious cake. Once everyone had eaten their fill, Phil and Hercules departed. Velcia and Sam returned upstairs to begin packing and cleaning.

Sam looked at her tools and materials strewn over the table with tired eyes; not wanting to have to deal with the mess after such a long day.

"You're more than welcome to stay another night, if you need to" Velcia offered, sensing Sam's weariness.

Sam nodded. "I think I might, if that's okay. I don't know if I should be traveling alone when I'm this tired."

"Of course! We can clean all this up tomorrow."

Sam made her way to the guest room, falling asleep nearly before her head had hit the pillow. She woke up the next morning to the delicious scent of breakfast, and after enjoying a relaxing meal began to clean up and pack.

As she did, Velcia came over with a large cardboard box. "Here, these are for you."

Sam peered inside, seeing several dozen potions. "Wow, really? There's a ton of them!" Sam took out a vial filled with a blue potion. "What's this one? All the health potions you've given me before were green."

"That potion strengthens your resistances against magic attacks" Velcia told her, "I packed about forty health potions for you, and then about sixteen other kinds of potions that I hope will help you out."

Sam pulled a paper out of the box, on it were drawings of each type of potion with writing underneath them explaining what they were.

Velcia laughed a bit. "At first I wrote it with Greek letters. I'm so used to it, I didn't realize until I was all done that you probably couldn't read it that way. I can still give you the Greek one, if you want it."

"Oh, that would be kind of cool actually" Sam said, "I bet Doctor Doppler would really love to see it."

Velcia nodded before running to the other room, quickly returning with the other page. "Here you go."

Sam smiled, and resumed her packing. Once she finished, she turned towards Velcia. "Thanks. For everything. To be honest, I'm not really sure why you've helped me so much… from letting me stay here with you, to giving me all these free potions. I kind of feel like I owe you now."

"Oh, you don't owe me anything!" Velcia said with a smile. "If I can help someone, I always try my best. Besides, that's why you're here in the first place isn't it? You're going through a lot of trouble to help your friend Hinata, and that's something I really respect. I'm very happy to have been able to help out."

"Oh, well… thanks again" Sam said. "I'm all done packing now, so I guess it's about time for me to leave."

"I hope you have a safe trip!" Velcia said. "And I wish you the best of luck dealing with DiZ… I'm sorry he's making it so rough for you."

Sam sighed. "It's alright, I'll figure that out. With any luck, winning the coliseum and beating that Hydra will convince him I'm not just dead weight."

"I sure hope so! Anyway, come back any time you need more potions, or help with anything else!" Velcia told her.

"I will" Sam said with a nod, "I think these potions are going to be really helpful for me."

After one final farewell, Sam and her things beamed up to her ship, and Sam was on her way back to DiZ's castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** Author's Note: Hello Everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed Sam's first mission! And I just wanted to give a shout out to my husband. He actually wrote this whole chapter and the second half of the last; so the entirety of Sam's time in Olympus. As I've mentioned before, I discuss this story with him quite often and he helps me iron out my ideas. And when I told him that Sam was going to Olympus he asked me if he could do another guest chapter. I completely spaced mentioning it in my author notes earlier; so I apologize that I didn't warn you about a upcoming guest chapter. Anyways, thank you so much for reading! Next chapter we will be going back to Hinata and what happened with her when Sam was gone. ***


	30. Disagreements

Chapter 30

*** Recap: Hinata and Riku made it back to Twilight Town from their eventful Christmas trip to Montressor. Upon arriving back they discover Sam stowed away on their ship and is determined to become part of the team. Hinata and Riku are rather cross with her, but after she speaks with DiZ he decides to give her a chance. He sends her to Olympus to take part in the Coliseum and as she takes her leave, he calls Hinata and Riku into his office so he can speak with them. ***

The door to the office slid closed as Riku and Hinata entered the room. The blue light emanating from the multitude of computer screens was the only illumination in the room. DiZ turned around in his seat to the face them, his expression hard to read.

They were silent for a few seconds before Hinata spoke up, "I can't believe you decided to let Sam stay."

"Yeah," Riku agreed, "Just a few minutes ago you were telling her to go home."

A slight smirk appeared on DiZ's face, "Yes, but that was before I heard her real reason for wanting to stay here. Now I think she will prove rather useful."

Riku and Hinata exchanged a look. "What was her real reason?" Hinata asked.

"That is something she should tell you herself." DiZ replied.

"No matter what her reason was, it doesn't make up for the fact that she doesn't know the first thing about fighting." Riku crossed his arms while he spoke. "Don't you think, Hinata?"

Hinata glanced over at Riku with a slight frown, unsure what to say.

"Well Hinata?" DiZ asked as well, making her look back at him.

She let out a breath and spoke thoughtfully, "It's true she doesn't know the first thing about proper technique when it comes to fighting, but… she's very clever and resourceful. I mean she created an entirely custom mechanical arm in a day and can apparently generate electricity with it. Unless they pit her against Organization Members at the Coliseum, she might be able to pull it off."

"Indeed," DiZ slowly nodded, "And if she does return victorious, I want you to begin training her, because I have no doubt she will have to learn how to use restraint when in combat."

Hinata nodded, "All right. But… there's still something I don't understand."

"And what is that?" DiZ asked.

"What exactly are you hoping she'll accomplish by being a part of our team?" She asked. "Even if she beats the Coliseum and lets me train her, it's not like you can pit her against the Organization."

"Why not?" He asked.

"Why not?" She repeated a bit incredulously. "Because they're way above anything she could fight against? I mean, Riku and I can barely handle two of them at once and we've been training in combat our whole lives."

"I think you are underestimating her," He told her. "If she is able to complete her mission successfully I am sending her and Riku to the Organization home world to…"

"Are you serious?!" Hinata interrupted him.

"Let me just go alone," Riku suggested. "She'd only slow me down."

"This mission requires two people, and I would imagine you would prefer Sam coming along rather than Hinata, given recent events." DiZ explained.

"Sam's not going to the Organization home world." Hinata told him adamantly. "Just let me go. That way if we're discovered we can at least have some hope of making it out of there alive."

"On the off chance they are discovered, I need someone that isn't afraid to eliminate the Organization Members." DiZ told her with a stern tone. "You have already proven on multiple occasions that you do not have what it takes to take down the Organization. Sam however, will not have this problem and will prove useful."

Hinata crossed her arms and glared at him, "So that's the reason you're letting her stay. She's agreed to be your Organization assassin, is that it?"

"You know very well that my ultimate goal is to exterminate the Organization," He replied, "Something that you agreed to when you first joined our cause."

"Well sorry for believing there's another way to take them down without killing them all." She flung her hands in the air with exasperation. "Do you even realize that most of them didn't even get a choice whether or not they became a member?"

"It doesn't matter," DiZ told her.

"Like hell it doesn't!" Hinata interrupted him with a raised voice.

"Hinata!" Riku reached forward and grabbed her arm. With a quieter voice, he said, "Calm down. It's alright."

"You agree with this?" She asked him.

"Yelling at each other isn't going to get us anywhere," He replied with a soft voice, averting her question.

She let out a breath and placed her hand over his, "You're right." She looked back to DiZ and calmly spoke. "I thought you said the reason you wanted to go after the Organization was to get Roxas and wake up Sora. I've been here for a few months now and I've barely seen Roxas. Part of me wonders if you're just wanting us to destroy the entire Organization and you're just using Sora as a selling point to get us to do your dirty work. Because honestly, for getting Roxas, we shouldn't have to kill anyone."

"But you should be willing to if the need arises," DiZ countered. "And I assure you, we are closer to awaking Sora than ever before."

"How so?" Riku asked. "Hinata's right, for the past few months we haven't done anything to even attempt getting Roxas."

"But you have been sent on various missions to acquire essential items." He explained. "And once Sam returns with the trophy we will only require one more ingredient."

Hinata exchanged a confused glance with Riku before asking, "What are you talking about? One more ingredient for what?"

A slight smile appeared on DiZ's face as he spun his chair around and put in a few key strokes in his keyboard. Across all the computer screens a 3D model of a strange unknown contraption appeared. A glass sphere was at the bottom of it with a glowing blue energy swirling inside of it. Stemming from the sphere was a long blue metal staff that was sharply pointed at the other end with tiny monitors with random lines of code showing on the screens. Along the sides of the gadget were four bright yellow handles that allowed the device to be carried while also serving as a way to prop it up right.

Hinata and Riku stared at the 3D model and walked forward to get a better look at it. Crossing her arms, Hinata cocked her head slightly to the side and asked, "What is that thing?"

"A Heart Encoder," DiZ answered her. "It's a device to reclaim Kingdom Hearts and encode it as data." He turned his chair back around to look at them and instantly spotted their even more confused expressions. "In short," He added, "It will bring a swift end to the Organization, allowing us to take Roxas and awaken Sora."

"So everything we've gotten for you," Riku spoke up, still staring at the Heart Encoder. "It's helped build this?"

DiZ smirked and nodded, "Indeed it has. I know retrieving those items appeared to be trivial, but in fact they serve a great purpose."

"Where did you put those medals we got you from Game Central Station?" Hinata asked.

"I turned them back into their primitive form," DiZ explained while turning his seat back to the computers and zooming in on the monitor screens. "Lines of code."

"Wow," Hinata breathed out. "And you just knew off the top of your head what you needed and what worlds to go to?"

"With much research, yes," DiZ nodded without looking away from the screens.

"What's the last ingredient?" Riku asked. "What could we possibly get from the Organization home world that would help?"

DiZ turned his seat around and told him, "That is something I will explain further when Sam returns." He looked over to Hinata, "In the meantime, we still need to discuss the events on Montressor."

Hinata shifted her weight uncomfortably and looked over at Riku. He glanced back at her and sent her a small smile of encouragement. "It's alright," he told her softly.

"From what I understand, Axel was the one that took you." DiZ spoke up first.

Hinata swallowed hard and nodded, "Y-yeah. He uh… he came to the Benbo Inn on Christmas Eve, but I was at the shop with James and Sam; so Riku ended up fighting him first."

"Yeah and I almost got him to leave, but that dumb robot decided to call Hinata to let her know what was going on," Riku added.

"It wasn't his fault," Hinata game him a look.

"Yeah, well either way, without Ben, Hinata would have been safe." Riku reminded her.

They went on, retelling the events to DiZ. Riku filled him in on everything that happened while Hinata was missing and Hinata explained what occurred when she was travelling with Axel. DiZ listened silently until Hinata got to the point where Axel took her to Kamino.

"Why would the Organization pick this particular world to bring you to?" DiZ asked ponderously.

"I'm not sure," Hinata told him. "If anything it seemed like an unlikely place. At least from what I saw, the entire world was surrounded by water and it was pouring rain. Doesn't seem like a place anyone would want to build something; so maybe they thought it would be better hidden."

DiZ silently nodded before telling her, "Perhaps, go on."

"Well… after I rendered Axel unconscious I snuck inside the building hoping to find some ship or something to escape."

"What was the building like?" DiZ asked.

"It seemed like some sort of medical facility," She told him. "Everything was white and polished. I found a computer room and on the lock screen it said I was at Kamino Cloning Facility."

"Cloning?" Riku repeated, hearing the events for the first time as well. "Why would they bring you to a cloning place?"

"I'm not sure," Hinata shook her head, feeling a wave of nervous shivers run through her. "I found a room where they were cloning Heartless; but I'm not sure what that has to do with me."

"Do they… want to clone you?" Riku asked unsure.

She shook her head again, "I asked Vexen that, but he said that wasn't it."

"Vexen?" DiZ asked. "I thought he was eliminated."

"It wasn't actually him," Hinata told him, "He was Vexen's Replica."

"A Replica?" DiZ repeated ponderously. "How many Organization Members have Replicas? It could be countless."

"I'm not sure, but he wasn't working alone," Hinata told him.

"Did you see other Replicas?" He asked her.

"No, it was some sort of alien species I've never seen before." She explained. "It seemed to know Vexen."

DiZ leaned back in his seat and let out a long breath. "It seems the Organization has much more brewing than I initially anticipated." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "This could very much pose a problem." Looking back up at Hinata, he asked. "What else happened?"

"It was shortly after Vexen and that alien found me that Riku showed up." Hinata admitted. "I tried talking Vexen into telling me what was going on, but he didn't say much."

"That doesn't surprise me," Riku sighed. "But knowing that creep, it could be any number of things."

"He's the one that made the Replica out of you, right?" Hinata asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, creeped me the hell out."

"Thank you both for your info," DiZ interrupted the conversation, getting their attention. "I need some time alone to think over everything, you may leave now."

"Sounds good," Riku nodded, already turning to leave.

"Oh, and Hinata," DiZ added, making her glance back at him. "Due to the recent events you will be confined to the mansion until further notice." He turned back to face his computer screen.

"Yeah I figured as much," Hinata sighed as she solemnly walked out of the office with Riku.

The door slid closed behind them as they reentered the library. Hinata let out a long breath and placed her hands on her hips as she walked forward.

"Well that was… something." She commented.

"Yeah," Riku agreed before asking, "You doing alright?"

"You mean after being told I'm basically a failure for not being willing to kill the Organization?" She asked. "Yeah, I'm just peachy."

"That's not what he meant," He assured her.

"Are you sure?" She asked, turning towards him. "Because it sure feels like he just brought on Sam to be my replacement. I'm just a liability now that's forced to hang out in this mansion like some sort of criminal." She shook her head and waved her hands in the air in exasperation. "I don't know, never mind. It's just a lot to take in."

Riku put his hands on her shoulders, "You won't be stuck here forever. Once Sora wakes up we'll talk to DiZ about letting you leave."

She frowned and down casted her eyes, "How long is that going to be?"

"Hopefully not much longer," He sighed. "But until then we need to do what's best to keep you safe." When she nodded, he added, "And you aren't a failure for refusing to kill. It's like Mickey told me, you're doing what your heart tells you and no matter what DiZ says, he can't stop you from that."

She looked up at him, "You talked to King Mickey about me?"

"Oh, uh, a little bit." He admitted, slightly embarrassed. He noticed a small smile on her face and asked. "Is that alright?"

"Yeah," She lightly laughed and added, "I think it's sweet honestly. Did you guys talk on the way back from the island while I was sleeping?"

"Yeah," He nodded. "I was just worried about you and he gave me some advice."

"Oh, sorry I worried you," She slightly winced.

"Its fine," He smirked, "I'm sure I've given you my own fair share of worrying."

"Oh, yeah," She replied almost instantly with a nod. "Definitely."

"I mean, not that much hopefully." He noted. "I like to think I'm at least fairly good at taking care of myself."

"You really worried me when you kept fighting even though you were sick," She told him, giving him a look.

"Yeah, yeah," He waved her off with a laugh and removed his hands from her shoulders. "Come on, let's get something to eat, I'm starving." He turned and began going up the stairs to leave the library.

"And I was really worried when you and I got separated in Prydain." She recalled as she followed him out.

"That was a long time ago," he commented, "And is that really the last time I worried you?"

"Well, no, of course not," She admitted with a laugh, "It was just the first thing I could think of."

"Man, I was an idiot back on Prydain." He remembered as he reached the top of the steps.

"I think you did the best you could, given the circumstances," She replied.

"Yeah I guess," He shrugged.

He opened the door leading back out to the main foyer and walked through. Christmas lights were still strung around the railing of the stairways and Hinata smiled to herself when she spotted them as they walked down the steps. Riku led across the large foyer to the main hallway where their bedroom resided. They walked past their room to the large kitchen at the end. As Riku went to the fridge to retrieve some food, Hinata walked over to the counter island and sat herself on one of the cushioned metal stools in front of it. She slowly spun the chair back and forth as she watched Riku search the fridge.

After a few seconds Riku let out a sigh and closed the fridge. "I guess I should have expected that."

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked.

"All the food's bad." He told her.

"That's fine," She shrugged, sliding off her seat and walking towards him. "We'll just run out and grab something instead. Or, I mean… you will at least." A frown appeared on her face and she looked away.

"Sorry," He placed his hand along her arm.

"It's fine," She strained a smile and looked back at him. "It's just going to take some getting used to."

"Yeah," He gave her a sad smile before stepping forward and giving her a sweet kiss. "I'll be quick, alright?" He told her once he pulled away. "I'll just get new food to restock the fridge so I won't have to go out again for a while."

She wordlessly nodded and he gave her a quick kiss on the on her cheek before walking past her to leave. A couple minutes past before she turned to head out of the kitchen. She walked back out to the main foyer sensing the vast emptiness as she entered it. Her own footsteps echoed through the room with every step she took. She ran her hands over her chilled arms feeling completely alone.

She walked to the center of the area, stopping in front of the miniature replica of the mansion that was encased in glass. She stared inside and asked herself, "Well now what do I do? There has to be something interesting to do here." She glanced up towards the second floor and reminded herself, "Well… Namine is stuck here all the time. Maybe I can see what she does."

Residing to the idea, she turned and walked up the stairs to the second level. She stopped in front of Namine's room and hesitated before knocking on her door. DiZ's warning to be wary of creating a friendship with her rang in her mind; but shaking the thought away, she went ahead and lightly knocked. A few silent seconds passed before the white door slowly opened and Namine peeked out. A smiled appeared on her face when she saw Hinata standing there.

"Hinata, it's been a while." She greeted with a soft voice, opening the door wider to allow her entrance. "Come on in."

"Thank you, Namine," Hinata replied as she walked in, "It has."

As she entered, she heard Jack's jovial bark as he floated towards her and gave her a quick lick to her cheek.

Hinata giggled and scratched him behind his ears, "I was wondering where you got off to, Jack. Did you come here to keep Namine company?"

Jack nodded before flying back to the white table in the center of the room and snuggling down right beside where Namine usually sat.

"What brings you here?" Namine asked Hinata as she closed the door. "Was there something you needed?"

"Oh, not really, I guess." Hinata admitted, turning around to face her. "I just… wanted to hang out."

"Oh," Namine spoke with a bit of surprise.

"Yeah," Hinata rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm sure you heard, but I've been confined to the mansion just like you now; so I thought we could hang out a bit since we're both in the same situation."

"I had no idea," She replied with widened eyes. "What happened?"

"It's uh… a really long story." Hinata admitted.

"Well lucky for you I have nowhere to be," Namine replied with a giggle.

Hinata let out a short awkward laugh, "I guess that's true."

She followed Namine back to the table and sat down across from her. Namine quietly sat with her hands clasped in her lap as Hinata retold the events that led to her being grounded to the mansion.

"It seems like so much has happened since we last spoke." Namine commented once Hinata had finished. "It's hard to believe Axel did all of that."

"I don't think he had much of a choice." Hinata admitted as she leaned back in her chair. She noticed Namine solemnly nod before she asked. "I don't suppose you have any idea what they would want with me? I know the Organization had you in custody for a while."

Namine thought about it for a moment, "I'm not sure."

"Did they try to do anything to you while you were there?" She asked. "Other than make you change Sora's memories I mean."

"Vexen did various tests on me while I was in Castle Oblivion…"Namine uncomfortably shifted in her seat as she recalled. "He wanted to find a way to replicate my powers."

"Your power to manipulate memories?" She asked.

Namine nodded, "Yes. I'm not sure if he was able to complete his work before he… disappeared."

"Would that be possible?" She asked. "Replicating your powers?"

"As far as I know it wouldn't," Namine replied, "However, Vexen was able to complete a lot of things I never would have considered possible."

Hinata glanced out the large multi-paned window that overlooked the black gates outside where she spotted Riku walking towards the mansion with large paper bags full of food in his arms. She slightly smiled at seeing him but then frowned as she looked back to Namine. "Do you think the real Vexen was able to get his research to his Replica before he died?"

Namine shook her head, "It's impossible to say. If he did, his Replica could continue his research even after we was eliminated."

Hinata nodded with a thoughtful expression on her face. "He's certainly resourceful, that's for sure."

"Indeed he is… or was, really." She replied.

Hinata scoffed, "Yeah." She placed her hands on the edge of the table and scooted her chair back before standing up. "I hate to cut this short but I just noticed Riku coming back from food shopping; so I'm going to grab some lunch. Would you mind if I came back here later?"

Namine smiled, "Of course. You're always welcomed Hinata"

"Thanks," She smiled back. "I'll probably be in here a lot more often once Sam and Riku start going on missions."

"And you'll have to introduce me to Sam once she gets back." Namine replied, "I'd love to meet her."

"Yeah," She nodded, "I bet she'd like to meet you too." She pushed her chair back in and walked towards the door, "Well see you later." She sent Namine a small wave before opening the door and walking back to the foyer.

As she jogged down the steps leading to the main floor she noticed the door leading into the hall wide open and she could already smell something delicious wafting through the air. A bright smile appeared on her face as she hurriedly made her way to the kitchen. Upon entering, she found Riku putting vegetables and other fresh ingredients away in the fridge while some pasta and chicken cooked away on the stove. He didn't notice as she came in, the sound of the sizzling food masked her quiet footsteps; so Hinata silently sat herself on one of the stools and quietly watched him work. It wasn't until a couple minutes past when he had finished putting the groceries away that he turned around and noticed her coyly smiling at him.

He didn't startle when he saw her, only smirked and said, "I was wondering where you were. I checked the bedroom and you weren't there."

She giggled, "Yeah sorry, I was upstairs with Namine."

His smirk slightly faltered, "You were with Namine?"

"Yeah, is that bad?" She asked slightly confused by his reaction.

"Well not really," He replied as he turned around to check on the cooking food. "Just remember what DiZ warned you about? To make sure you don't get too close to her."

"I know," She admitted, slightly spinning her chair side to side. "But I never really agreed with him about it. Plus, if I'm going to be stuck here while you and Sam get to go on missions, I'm going to need someone to talk to."

"Yeah… just be careful." He warned her, turning back towards her and leaning against the counter island. "You tend to get overly attached to people and that could easily go bad with her."

She sat up with a frown and objected, "I do not get overly attached to people."

"It's not a bad thing," He assured her, "It's just something you need to be careful about, especially when dealing with Nobodies like Namine."

She scoffed, "Oh please, give me one example of me being overly attached."

He sighed, "Alright, maybe overly is the wrong word, but you do get attached to people pretty easily." He saw he open her mouth to object again and he reminded her, "Just think about how much trouble you go through to keep people you barely know safe. "

"Well that's different…" She began to defend as Riku turned to stir the food. "I don't really think trying to keep people safe is the same as being overly attached."

He turned back around with two bowls full of steaming Chicken Alfredo. Placing a bowl in front of Hinata he told her. "My point is, that type of thing isn't a good idea when you're dealing with Nobodies; especially ones like Namine."

"Well why not?" She asked. "Nobodies like Namine and Axel didn't ask to become one of those things. Just because they're associated with the Organization doesn't necessarily make them bad people. So what if I want to be her friend and potentially protect her if something happened?"

"They aren't people at all," He reminded her. "As real as Namine seems, she isn't a person and that's dangerous. She doesn't have a heart to follow and her emotions aren't real."

"I don't think that should matter," She admitted. "She's helping us with recovering Sora's memories, right? And she's kind and…"

"But she isn't going to be here forever," He interrupted her. "She shouldn't even exist in the first place." He paused and let out a long breath. "I'm worried about you becoming friends with her because it's only a matter of time before she's gone and the better friends you become with her the worse it's going to be for you when she disappears."

Hinata was silent for a moment, lost in thought. She took a couple bites of the food Riku had made for her before replying. "But that doesn't make sense. Axel has been in the Organization for years and he's still around. Why would Namine be any different?"

"DiZ says that she's different than the other Nobodies." He told her. "He won't tell me much, but apparently she'll eventually cease to exist once she's finished awakening Sora."

"So that's why you've been keeping your distance from her." Hinata realized. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I tried but you didn't want to talk about it remember?"

She thought about it for a moment before realizing. "Oh yeah… That was right before I left for Atlantis." She took another bite of her food before telling him. "I get where you're coming from and it's sweet; but, even knowing all that I still want to be her friend. I feel some connection with her, I can't really explain it."

He sighed, "Well alright. Just don't say I didn't warn you." He picked up his bowl of food and made his way to the other side of the counter island to sit beside Hinata. He took a couple bites of his food before asking, "But alright, what did you and Namine talk about?"

"I basically told her everything that's happened since I went to Atlantis and then I asked her if she had any idea what the Organization wanted with me."

Riku was silent for a moment before asking, "Well did she?"

"Not really, but she did tell me something I found interesting," She replied, "She said that while the Organization had her at Castle Oblivion, Vexen was doing these tests on her trying to replicate her power to manipulate memories."

"Is that type of thing possible?" Riku asked, feeling his stomach knot.

"That's what I asked too." She admitted. "She didn't think so, but Vexen did a lot of things that shouldn't have been possible."

Riku fell silent and absently stirred his bowl of food for a couple minutes. Hinata glanced over at him, noticing the thoughtful yet also worried expression on his face. She looked back to her own food and got lost in her own thoughts until Riku finally spoke back up.

"What if he finished his research and sent it to his Replica before he was killed?" He asked without looking up at her.

"I was wondering about that too," She admitted, "What if the Organization's plan is to mess with my memories somehow if they capture me? I mean, I heard about how much Namine messed up Sora… think about what they could do with me."

"But why would they do that?" He asked while drumming his fingers on the counter. "What's the point?"

"I don't know, but it makes more sense than cloning me or forcing me into the Organization." She replied. "If they could control my memories, they could basically force me to do and think whatever they wanted."

Riku fell back to silence for a moment before telling her, "I don't want to talk about this, right now. I'd rather not know what the Organization wants with you, because I'm not going to let them get you."

"Yeah…" She slowly replied. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's alright," He sighed, "It's not your fault. I just don't like thinking about the possibilities, especially since they were so close to getting you."

"Yeah me too." She admitted.

They silently went back to eating their food, both lost in their thoughts. After they were done they washed the dishes together and spent the rest of the day hanging out around the mansion. The following day went similarly; they took down the Christmas decorations and tended to the garden in the backyard while enjoying a day of relaxation. Mid-morning the next day they were awoken when they heard the Highwind ship landing in the backyard.

Hinata excitedly sat up from the bed, stirring Riku. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah…" He sleepily mumbled as he turned over in the bed. "I guess that means Sam's back. Great."

She chuckled as she got out of the bed, "Oh come on; it isn't that bad. I'm excited to hear how her mission went." She quickly opened the dresser across the room and gathered some clothes. "Aren't you going to get up?"

"Eventually," he sighed as he rolled onto his back and placed his hand on his forehead. "I still don't get why she insists on being here."

"Yeah, but if the mission turned out well she might be helpful." She told him. "I don't like her possibly going to the Organization home world with you, but I'd also rather you not go alone."

He groaned, "Oh yeah, I forgot about that." He rolled to his stomach and buried his face in the pillow. "Let me know when she's gone."

Hinata rolled her eyes and laughed, "Oh whatever."

She went into the restroom and came out a few minutes later dressed in a long-sleeved striped sweater and gray pants. She pulled her hair up into a bun as she came back into the room and saw Riku slowly getting up from the bed with a frown plain on his face. Once he was fully standing she walked over to him and grabbed his hands.

"Hey, everything's going to be fine." She assured him with a sweet smile. "I know you aren't too happy with Sam for sneaking her way here, but she didn't mean any harm. If DiZ thinks she'll be helpful then maybe we should give her a chance."

He looked down at their clasped hands and let out a breath, "I know." He lifted one of his hands and softly ran his thumb over the tattoo on her cheek, causing it to dimly glow. "I just don't like the idea of having to go on missions with someone other than you. I know it's dumb."

She smiled and leaned up on her toes, giving him a kiss. "It's not dumb." She told him. "I get it; but I think you'll find yourself getting along better with Sam that you think. You just need to give her a chance."

"Maybe," He replied before giving her another longer kiss. "Won't be as good as going on missions with you though."

"Well that's understandable," She shrugged with a smirk. "I am pretty great."

He snickered, "Yeah you are." He gave her another quick kiss before releasing her, "Alright, you better go see Sam. I'll be out in a bit."

"Alright," She smiled as she turned and left the room.

She jogged out into the main foyer and spotted Sam exiting the ship through the back windows. Sam had a form of pride in her step, her head was held high and her mechanical arm was fully out for all to see without a care in the world.

"It must have gone well," Hinata whispered to herself as she went to the glass door and pushed it open. She shivered as the cold air rushed into her but smiled and called out, "Welcome back!"

Sam grinned when she saw Hinata and ran forward. "Hey!" She greeted. "You're not going to believe everything that happened!"

Hinata chuckled, "I take it everything went well?"

"Hell yeah!" She beamed. "I totally creamed those sorry excuses for contestants. They didn't stand a chance. And you won't believe all the stuff I can do with this thing!" She held out her mechanical arm and began listing things off, "I can make a shield, shoot energy bursts, electricity, magnetism, all sorts of cool shit!"

"That's great!" Hinata replied, "So you actually won?"

"Sure did!" She chimed, "Hey Ben, show Hinata our prize!"

"Ta-dah!" Ben called down, holding up a large gleaming trophy above his head. He wobbled back and forth as he struggled to keep his balance with it.

"Wow…" Hinata's mouth fell agape as she stared up at it. "I can't believe you pulled it off."

"I told you I could hold my own!" Sam told her, "I might not know any of that fancy-shmancy fighting stuff like you, but this Atlantean crystal packs one hell of a punch. Oh and wait until you hear about the Hydra! It…"

"Woah, woah, woah." Hinata held up her hands with a laugh and cut her short. "DiZ is going to want to hear all this stuff too, so how about we head to his study and you can tell us all about it?"

"Oh sure thing," She chimed before looking behind Hinata when the glass door swung opened. "Hey Riku." She sheepishly smiled at him as he walked outside with his hands dug in his pockets.

He gave her a simple nod but didn't reply to her as he stopped beside Hinata. "DiZ is ready to see her." He told Hinata.

"Right," Hinata nodded as she looked back at Sam and motioned her head towards the door behind them, "Then let's go inside."

She turned to head back inside, Riku and Sam following close behind. They silently made their way to DiZ's study stopping right in front of the metal door. Riku pressed the button beside the door, immediately sliding it open.

DiZ turned his seat around as the group entered with a smirk plain on his face. "Sam, welcome back." He greeted.

"Uh, thanks," She awkwardly smiled back at him as she stopped in the center of the room.

"I trust everything went well?" He asked her.

"Yeah," She replied with a smile plain on her face.

Her eyes lit up with excitement as she instantly began retelling the events of her mission from beginning to end, making sure not to leave out any of the exciting details. Hinata and DiZ occasionally cut in with their remarks and questions while Riku remained silent until Sam mentioned Velcia's Keyblade.

"She had a Keyblade?" Riku asked with near disbelief, completely forgetting his frustration with Sam.

"Yeah, but she said it didn't have any magic left in it, not like the one you guys said Sora has." She replied to him. "She used it as some sort of wand for her magic."

"Can Keyblades do that?" Hinata asked, looking over at Riku. "Lose their magic?"

"I don't know," He admitted, glancing back at her.

"That can be discussed further at a later time," DiZ interrupted the conversation. "Were you able to retrieve the trophy?"

Sam stood proudly and put her hands on her hips, "Sure did! Even took out a Hydra that this Hades guy tried pawning off on me."

"You met Hades?" Riku asked her.

"Yeah, you know him?" She asked, looking back at him.

Hinata scoffed, "Wish we didn't."

"That is excellent news, Sam." DiZ spoke up, going back to the main conversation. "You have certainly earned your place."

Sam grinned, "Hell yeah I did."

DiZ chuckled, noticing Hinata rolling her eyes at Sam's remark. "If you are ready I have another mission for you, one you will take with Riku."

Sam glanced back at Riku uncomfortably. "Are you sure?" She asked. "I can just go by myself."

"I said the same thing," He told her with a quiet voice. "You'd just get in my way."

"And you'd just be a pain in the ass," She bit back.

DiZ cleared his throat, "This mission will go smoother with two people and would be much too dangerous to send either of you alone."

Sam let out a long breath and resigned, "Alright fine, what is it?"

"I want both of you to infiltrate the Organization home world." He began to explain, noticing the surprised look on her face. "However, I need both of you to be as covert as possible."

"What exactly are you wanting us to get?" Riku asked.

"Research," He replied.

"Research?" Sam repeated. "What sort of research?"

"Member IV, Vexen, was a scientist in the Organization…" He began to say.

"Vexen," Sam interrupted, recognizing the name. "That's the guy Hinata saw at that weird cloning facility, right?"

"You know about that?" Riku asked.

"I, uh, might have told her and James about it all." Hinata admitted. "But yeah, Sam, it was, but it was his Replica."

"As I was saying," DiZ spoke up again, "During his time with the Organization he completed numerous experiments, some of them entailing the essence of Kingdom Hearts itself. That is the research I need you to recover. He no doubt had a personal lab on the Organization home world."

"How do you know he even has this research?" Sam asked. "And why can't you just hack into his computer and download his work?"

"There are many things I know of the Organization," he skirted her first question before explaining. "Vexen was very protective of his work. All of his research cannot simply be downloaded from another computer, it must be done locally."

"So you want us to sneak into the Organization's stronghold to download a research paper?" Sam asked.

"Yes," DiZ answered simply.

"Well… alright, I guess?" She slowly replied, "But why do you need both of us? If it's supposed to be undercover anyways why can't I just go? Also…" She put out her hands and suggested, "Call me crazy, but aren't you wanting to get rid of these guys? Why don't you just have us plant some huge ass bomb and blow the damn place up?"

"Blow it up, are you serious?" Hinata asked. "It's an entire world Sam, you'd have to have a shipload of bombs to take the whole place out and not everyone in the Organization deserves to be blown up."

"Yeah, like that Axel guy; he's a real keeper Hinata." She replied with sarcasm obvious in her voice.

"Will you stop joking around?" Riku spoke up with a bit of exasperation in his voice. "This is a serious thing."

"Indeed it is," DiZ agreed with Riku. "I need both of you to go on this mission because one of you will need to focus all of your attention on downloading the required data in case of potential firewalls or other defensive mechanisms Vexen may have put into place to keep his data hidden."

"I'll handle that," Sam put up her hand.

DiZ nodded, "Yes, I was anticipating you would." He looked past her and continued, "And you Riku, will be her lookout to keep her safe and unnoticed."

"Alright." He replied with a short nod. "What if we're discovered?"

"It is imperative that news of your presence does not reach Xemnas' ears," DiZ explained, "So in the event you are discovered, you must eliminate them."

A smirk appeared on Sam's face but she didn't say anything in response. Hinata uncomfortably fidgeted her hands in front of her and exchanged a glance with Riku.

"Are you sure Sam's ready for this?" Hinata asked.

"Hinata, I'll be fine." Sam assured her. "I killed it at the Coliseum."

"But this is the Organization we're talking about." Hinata stepped forward so Sam could see her. "Not a random group of Heartless. You've got a lot of raw talent, I'll give you that; but most of the people in the Organization have been training in intense combat for most of their lives. And add onto that their uncanny ability to control an element and they have ridiculous amounts of power. I can only handle one maybe two of them on my own and that's only if I already have the upper hand. You get caught by those guys…"

"Riku's going to be there with me," Sam interrupted her. "Plus if all goes according to plan we won't even see any of them. Although, not going to lie, I sort of hope we run into Axel."

"We won't," Riku assured her, getting a frown in return. "We're getting in and out. But when we're there you have to do what I say. No goofing off or being a smart ass."

She put her hands up in surrender, "Whatever you say, boss."

Riku shook his head and looked back to DiZ, "When do we leave?"

"Whenever you're ready." He replied. "The Highwind is ready for your departure and I will transfer the necessary information and schematics into Ben's mind for your convenience."

Riku scoffed, "You mean we have to take that robot with us?"

"He'll be helpful, Riku," Hinata told him, giving him a look.

"He won't be joining you on your actual mission," DiZ explained, "But he will provide much needed information along the way that may very well prove crucial to your mission."

Riku let out a breath, "Alright, let's get going."

"Actually, there's something I need to talk with DiZ about," Sam spoke up, glancing back at the others.

DiZ nodded, "Very well. Riku and Hinata, you may leave and prepare the ship for departure."

"Alright," Riku answered as he turned to leave. He tugged on Hinata's arm to pull her out with him despite her reluctance.

Once the door closed behind them, DiZ spoke up. "What do you wish to discuss?"

Sam took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "When I was talking with that Velcia girl, she mentioned something about the World Order."

"She did?" DiZ asked with surprise. "How did she know of such a thing?"

"The same way she got that Keyblade, from her ancestors," She answered him before explaining further. "But she actually explained the logistics of the World Order, and you left a lot of important things out."

"Such as?" He asked.

"Like the timeline resets?" She crossed her arms as her once nervous demeanor slowly turned into an aggravated one. "How every world has a set time limit before it resets?"

"Not so much as a time limit as certain events are required to take place before…" He began to correct her.

"So you do know about it?" She asked him with a bit of an accusatory edge. "And you didn't think that type of information would have been… I don't know, helpful? It might have actually kept me from sneaking out here."

DiZ attentively nodded and thought over her words for a moment before responding. "The timeline reset is something rarely spoken of. It is information that very few people are aware of and was not something I was privy to simply tell a restless young girl about."

"Yeah but you could have at least tried giving a better excuse than I should just stay in my galaxy for no good reason." She told him. "If Montresor's timeline somehow reset while I was gone, no one would remember me. And once I eventually died, that'd be it, I'd no longer exist in my galaxy no matter how many timeline resets there were."

"It seems she explained it in vivid detail," DiZ commented before asking, "However, if you knew of this timeline reset upon your return here to Twilight Town, why are you eager to continue your stay here rather than request a way home?"

Sam scuffled her feet before admitting, "Because despite the risk, I still have a mission to finish. Plus, I don't think my world is due for a reset anytime soon. Not while all these Heartless are about anyways."

DiZ smirked and nodded, "Indeed you are correct. The intergalactic borders between our worlds and galaxies must be intact in order for the time resets to occur."

"Well that's good to hear at least," Sam sighed. "Do Riku and Hinata know?"

DiZ shook his head, "No, and I intend to keep it that way."

Sam frowned, "But Hinata isn't actually from Destiny Islands, what if her world resets while she's living her life on the island? She and Riku would never get to be together in future resets."

"I will inform her when the time is right," He assured her, "For now, it is best to keep this timeline information between ourselves."

She took a deep breath and shook her head, "Well alright, have it your way."

"Was there anything else you would like to discuss?" He asked her.

"Nope, that about covers it. I guess I'll head out for the next mission then." She told him, about to turn to leave.

"Before you leave, I have something for you." DiZ called after her, making her stop. He stood from his seat and walked beside his desk, picking up a long black coat. "You will need to wear this when you reach the Organization home world."

Sam took the black coat from him. "It's just like the coat Riku and those Organization guys wear. Is there something special about it?"

He nodded, "Yes, it shields your heart from the Organization. Without it they will be able to sense your presence."

She stared at the coat in thought for a moment before asking. "Is that how they knew when Hinata and Riku were visiting Montressor? They could sense our hearts?"

"I am under that assumption, yes." He nodded.

"Good to know," She sighed before telling him. "You know, a lot of problems would have been avoided if you weren't so damn secretive about every little thing. Would it have been so hard to give Riku and Hinata some sort of thing that would have helped keep our hearts hidden from the Organization too? Or would it have been so tough to give Ben the info on how to track Hinata when she was taken right off the bat? You keep all this really helpful information to yourself and it doesn't make any sense."

"I have my reasons for secrecy," He told her. "What's important is that our goal is being accomplished. Eliminating the Organization and awakening Sora. And thus far, that is exactly what we have been working towards."

Sam scoffed, "Well good to know I'm working for someone that doesn't have my safety as a priority."

He smirked, "You said yourself you are more than capable to take care of yourself; as are Riku and Hinata." He cleared his throat and sat back down in his seat. "Now you should take your leave. Time is of the essence."

"Yeah," Sam nodded, placing the back coat under her arm. "I'll see you when I get back then."

"Indeed," He replied with his back to her as she left the room to leave.

Outside by the ship, Hinata stood beside Riku as he got ready to go aboard. She had a frown plain on her face as she uncomfortably fidgeted her hands in front of her.

"I still don't like this whole mission." Hinata admitted to him.

"Yeah," He agreed.

"Just, keep an eye on Sam, alright?" She asked him. "I don't want anything happening to her or to you." She shook her head and confessed. "This is just crazy. Making you sneak into the Organization stronghold? What in the world is DiZ thinking?"

"I know it's risky, but I can do it," He assured her. "I wish I didn't have to babysit Sam and her swelled ego; but it will be fine." He placed his hand under her chin and made her look up at him. "I promise. We'll be back before you know it."

She worriedly looked back at him, despite the smile he gave her. "I wish I was coming too." She admitted. "I could train Sam on the way there, make sure she knows how to control her power and knows how to handle a weapon."

"I'll take care of it," He told her. "I'll make sure she knows how to use a weapon other than that arm of hers."

"And what happens if you guys get caught?"

"We won't," he assured her. "I'll be keeping a close watch and I'll take care of any Organization Members we possibly run into."

"But…" She started to object, but was cut off when Riku suddenly kissed her.

"Stop worrying," He whispered once he pulled away. "Everything is going to be fine."

He stepped back when the glass door from the mansion swung open and Sam came running out.

"You ready?" She asked them as she slowed her run to a stop in front of them.

Riku wordlessly nodded before saying, "I'll be right there."

Sam glanced between him and Hinata before nodding and jogging up the ramp to the ship.

"Riku…" Hinata quietly said his name as she shook her head. "I don't like this."

"I know," he replied with an equally quiet voice as he brought one of his hands to the side of her face. "We'll be back before you know it, I promise." He gave her another kiss. "I love you."

She leaned into his touch for a moment as she replied, "I love you too."

He gave her a small reassuring smile before reluctantly pulling away and walking up the ramp to the ship. Hinata solemnly stepped back a few steps with a lump in her throat. She lightly waved her hand goodbye as the engines of the Highwind roared to life and the entire ship lifted off the ground before disappearing into the cloudy sky. Once they were gone she stared up at the empty sky for several minutes, trying to wrap her mind around what they were about to do. After a while she began to shiver from the cold and she hesitantly turned around to walk back inside.


	31. Stubborn Hearts

Chapter 31

Riku kept his hands clasped around the ship's railing as he stared down at the mansion shrinking in the distance while Sam piloted the ship out of Twilight Town's atmosphere. He let out a long breath as they passed through the veil of clouds, masking his view of the planet below, and pushed himself off the railing.

"Let the fun begin," he whispered sarcastically as he turned to face Sam stationed at the ship's navigation.

"Man, I've missed flying a ship myself," she commented to Ben beside her before glancing up at Riku.

He slightly nodded towards her before telling her, "Meet me in the sparring room in ten minutes." he began walking towards the stairwell to head below deck, "We have a lot to cover before we arrive at the Organization's world."

Sam almost glared at him as he disappeared below deck. Once he was gone she scoffed and shook her head, "He's really a pain," she shortly glanced at Ben, "How do you put up with him?"

Ben's eyes flickered as he thought over his response, his bright and cheery disposition faded. "Master Riku is very determined and focused; much like my old Captain was."

"Captain Flint?" She clarified.

He nodded, "He doesn't take jokes or mistakes very well," he began to smile and added, "But I know he means well!"

"You can still say that after how rude he's been to you since Hinata got taken?" She asked.

"It's not like I don't deserve it," he admitted as his eyes turned into a gloomy blue. "I should have listened to him." he took in a deep wistful breath before confessing, "I have one more chance to prove myself or I'll be marooned just like I was with Captain Flint."

"Is that what he told you?" she looked over at him and crossed her arms. "Not if Hinata has anything to say about it. Don't worry about it Ben, you'll be fine. Riku's going to have to get over himself eventually." she shook her head and began to walk away while mumbling under her breath, "I really don't know what Hinata sees in him."

"I know you and Riku don't get along," Ben spoke up, making her glance back at him . "But you should give him a chance! He's rough around the edges but he's really nice once you get to know him! Sort of like Jimmy!"

Sam scoffed, "I highly doubt Riku is anything like Jim. But thanks Ben."

She sent him a small wave before heading below deck. As she reached the bottom step she looked around the living area. Books that Hinata had collected filled the multiple bookshelves and her Journey Journal was situated on the table in the center of the area. Sam walked over to it and opened it up, flipping through the pages and remembering all the stories Hinata had told her about the pictures. She reached the newest page that had appeared only days before. The picture was set inside the Benbo Inn at nighttime. James and Hinata sat on one side of a booth. Hinata was laughing while James had his head rested on the table barely awake. Sam sat beside Jim on the other side of the booth. She was leaning into him as he had his arm wrapped around her.

Sam sadly smiled and lightly ran her hand over the picture. She stared at it for a few moments before closing the book and placing it back on the table. Clearing her throat, she pushed away a tear that threatened to fall down her cheek and walked over to her room. She opened the door and entered the dusty bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it and scanned the area. It was a relatively bare room. A twin sized bed was along the wall of the opposite side of the room and only a few feet away from Sam stood a wooden desk that had random tools and parts strewn across its surface. She pushed herself off the door and walked over to the desk. Grabbing the small cushioned chair in front of it, she turned it around and sat on it backwards. Her legs went on either side of its back support and she leaned her arms on its top. She reached forward towards a gray rectangular device that seemed crude in design. A small screen was along the top of it surrounded with random screws and pieces. She turned a few of the screws before flipping a metal switch along the side, flickering the screen on.

A trill ring filled the room as she stared expectantly at the device for several seconds. Right when she was about to reach forward and turn it off, a blue hologram of Jim sitting on a stool suddenly appeared above the screen.

Sam let out a breath of relief as she smiled and said, "I was worried you weren't going to pick up."

Jim smiled back at her but with a hint of uneasiness, "Sorry, I was in the middle of something."

"Yeah I figured…" She nodded as her voice trailed off and she downcast her gaze.

When she didn't say anything for a few seconds, he asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, sorry," She looked back to him and admitted, "I just really wanted to see you… I miss you."

Jim softly laughed, "I miss you too."

They fell back to silence for a few seconds as they just stared back at each other.

Eventually Sam spoke up, "Are you alright? Last time I called you didn't want to stop talking."

"Yeah…" Jim rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just I'm-uh, not exactly alone right now."

She immediately tensed before slowly asking, "What? Who's there with you?"

Someone outside the view of the hologram cleared their throat and stepped forward to be beside Jim, appearing in the hologram in front of Sam. Her eyes widened as she gasped, realizing it was James.

"Hey sis," he greeted her with a strained smile.

"Shit…" she cursed under her breath as she hung her head down and laced her hands behind her neck. "You're at the shop…"

"Yeah…" Jim slowly replied. "I've been helping James manage the ships before I head back to the Academy. I wasn't going to answer when you called, but he knew the device was your work and wanted to see you."

Sam let out a long breath. "Great. Sure glad I decided to call."

"Sam, I'm not on the call to yell at you, I just wanted to make sure you were alright." James spoke up as he crossed his arms.

She glanced up at him with a blank expression, "Really?" She asked.

"Well yeah, the last I saw you, you were on the verge of having a break down," he reminded her, making her avert her gaze in embarrassment. "Then then next thing I know you disappeared and all I have left behind is a note from you telling me you were going away with Hinata… I didn't really know what to do."

"Were you mad?" She asked him.

He scoffed, "You have no idea… But, that's not really important right now." Letting out a breath he told her. "You just… you need to make sure you're back here before that border goes back up."

Sam shook her head and bit the inside of her cheek. "You know for a moment I thought you were going to be supportive; but nope, it's just back to you ordering me around."

"Sam, just listen…" He began to say.

"No, you listen," she abruptly cut him off with a raised voice. "When Dad left you went crazy. You went out and got drunk almost every night and was off doing God knows what while I worked my ass off at the shop. You did that for almost two years James! Then Hinata shows up and you suddenly transformed into this reformed responsible person that thinks they should suddenly run my life. Well that's not how it works, alright? You got your chance to be a moron and make your own choices, let me make mine. I know you don't want me out here but you know what? I seriously don't give a damn. I know what I'm doing."

"No you don't!" James stepped forward, his voice volume matching hers. "You're completely unstable right now. Did you stop for one second and think of what you're getting yourself into? How dangerous it is out there? And what about the border, Sam? That could go back up at any time and you might never be able to come back. What type of message do you think that is sending to every one of us back here that care about you?"

"Just stop it James!" Sam yelled, standing from her seat and hitting the chair with her mechanic arm, accidentally sending it flying across the room and startling them. "I'm fine! I'm not some helpless little girl anymore; I can take care of myself! I'm not going back until I finished what I came here to do."

"Sam, are you even listening to yourself?" he pleaded, "You running off like this is just crazy."

"I know," she confessed as she let out a sigh, trying to force herself to calm down. "I know it was all unexpected and out of nowhere, but I need to do this James."

He stared back at her with a frown plain on his face. Taking a deep breath, he told her. "I just want you to be safe."

"I am," she assured him.

"Really?" he challenged. "Because from what I heard about your last mission you were in no way safe."

Sam glanced over at Jim. "Am I really going to have to start asking you not to tell other people the things we talk about? Like seriously?"

"I only told him because he was worried about you Sam." Jim defended. "And he deserves to know what's going on."

Sam scoffed and shook her head. "Look, I get to decide who deserves to know what about me, alright? Believe it or not, I was calling to get some quick relaxation time before I start training for my next mission but congratulations guys, you only made me ten times more ticked off than I already was."

"Sam…" Jim began to say.

"No," She cut him off and raised her hand in front of her. "I don't want to hear anything else from either of you. I don't have time to deal with this." She shook her head with her eyes closed, "I shouldn't have bothered calling." She reached forward and flipped the same switch on the device, causing the hologram to immediately flicker away.

She blankly stared at where the hologram once was, her fists were tightly clenched at her sides and her cheeks were flushed with frustration. Taking in a shaking breath, she turned away and began rummaging through her clothes to look for something suitable for sparring. Within the next few minutes she reemerged from her room wearing a tight white tank top that hugged her petite form and black cropped leggings with a thin purple stripe going down the side. Holding a small hair tie in her mouth, she pulled back her barely chin-length hair and forced it into a tiny pony-tail before grabbing the elastic band from her mouth to keep it together. Once she was ready she walked across the hall and entered the sparring room. Riku was already there wearing a black cotton tank top and gray pants as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and a hard to read expression.

"Sorry I'm late," she mumbled as she entered, not bothering to glance at him. "Let's get this over with."

Wordlessly nodding, Riku pushed himself off the wall and went over to one of the weapon racks, grabbing two long wooden staffs and tossing one over to Sam. She caught it while giving him a confused look.

"What's this for?" she asked him.

"You need to learn how to use a weapon," he bluntly told her as he walked back to the sparring mat and stood a few feet across from her. When she held up her mechanical arm he shook his head, "If we get into a fight on the Organization world, you can't go shooting that thing around."

"Why not?" she scowled as she asked with an annoyed tone.

"For one, it's loud and flashy-" he pointed out, "It would only attract attention that we don't want." Noticing her rolling her eyes, he continued, "Two, if you miss-"

"I won't," she cut in with a glare.

"If you do-" he repeated with a stern tone, "you could damage something that would leave evidence of us being there. The point is to get in and out without causing problems, not blow the place up."

She scoffed, "You're talking like I don't know what I'm doing. I did just fine at the Coliseum."

"You did one mission," he pointed out. "Doesn't mean you've got what it takes to go against an Organization Member."

She shook her head as she furrowed her brow and looked away, obviously holding something in.

"I saw you with a staff back on Montressor, so I thought I'd train you how to use it properly." he told her, "Now ready your weapon."

"I'm not doing this," she curtly denied his orders while tossing her staff to the ground. "I don't need you and your swelled ego teaching me anything. I'll be fine using my arm on the mission."

"Fine. If you don't think you need help, prove me wrong." he provoked with a straight face, causing her to look back at him as he also tossed the staff to the ground and summoned Soul Eater. "Try fighting me your way."

Sam stared at him for a moment before smirking and holding out her mechanical arm at her side, powering it up. "I'm not going to hold back." she warned him.

"Neither am I," he replied while getting into his fighting stance.

They strafed around each other, waiting for the other to strike first. The crystal in Sam's arm glowed brighter with every step she took. She clenched her hand closed, sparks of electricity fizzed around her fingertips. Taking in a sharp breath she opened her hand and aimed her palm right at Riku, instantly shooting a bolt of electricity towards him. Without flinching, he raised Soul Eater in front of him and deflected the shot, sending it straight back to Sam. She gasped as it pummeled back towards her and rolled out of the way in gut reaction, allowing it to barrel past her.

She whipped her attention to the bolt as it headed right to the wall of the ship but it was stopped by a sudden shimmering shield of translucent hexagons before fizzling away. She looked back to Riku to see him putting his hand back down at his side as he dissipated his shield.

"See? You missed," he simply said as he spun Soul Eater in his hand.

Sam's cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment as she quickly scrambled back to her feet and once again readied her arm. "I didn't miss, you blocked it." she pointed out.

"Doesn't matter," he shook his head as they once again began to strafe in a circle around each other. "Any of the Organization's weapons would be able to deflect a shot that weak."

"Weak?!" she stopped her movements while she repeated his last word in disbelief.

"Is that all you used at the Coliseum?" he provoked her.

She glared at him and flicked her wrist, forming a large hexagonal shield around the emitters of her mechanical arm. She vaguely noticed Riku's eyebrows rise as he saw the shield, but he quickly went back to the fight.

Sam examined Riku as he continued to strafe around her. Her opposite hand sparked with electricity as her shield buzzed with energy. She waited a few more moments before suddenly shooting out a string of small electricity bolts that honed in on Riku. As he blocked them with Soul Eater, absorbing them rather than deflecting them, Sam rolled quickly and got up on one-knee sending a larger blast towards him while he was distracted. Right before it was supposed to hit him, he disappeared in a mist of black smoke sending the blast right into a dark shield already awaiting it. Sam stood back up straight and scanned the room as she carefully turned in place, not realizing as RIku reappeared behind her. He tightly gripped her mechanical arm, keeping it in place as he held Soul Eater up to her throat with his other hand. Sam growled and attempted to elbow him behind her with her free arm, but he teleported away before she could make contact.

He reappeared a few feet across from her and told her, "You missed again and if we were in a real fight, you would have been dead."

"Teleporting away isn't exactly fair," She griped while flinging her hand towards him in annoyance.

"Every Organization Member can and will do it," he pointed out. "They don't fight fair."

She scoffed, "How the hell am I supposed to deal with teleportation?"

"Hinata does it," he reminded her making her look away with frustration. "Now are you done?"

Sam clenched her hands into tight fists and blurted out, "Will you take me seriously for one second?!"

"The moment you start taking this seriously I'll consider it." he put Soul Eater down at his side as he scolded her.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" she yelled at him as she placed her hand over her heart. "I gave up my entire life to be here right now and all you've done since I got here was make these snide comments about what a dumb-ass you think I am. What makes you think I'm not taking this seriously?"

"Your swelled ego and short temper sure don't do you any favors," he chided her with a calm but firm voice. "You have a lot to learn but you're convinced you're perfect the way you are, when you're far from it."

"DiZ wouldn't have sent me if he didn't think I could handle this mission," Sam pointed out as she outstretched her arms at her side.

"The only reason DiZ sent you on this mission is because he knows you won't hesitate to kill an Organization Member if your were given the chance," Riku explained. "He knows just as well as me and Hinata that you don't have the first clue what you're getting into and he doesn't care. All he cares about is destroying the Organization; then you come along with thirst for blood and all he had to was point you in the right direction. What did you think he was going to do?"

Sam looked away with a scowl, "Alright fine. None of you guys think I've got what it takes. It would sure be nice if you could give me a chance at least."

"I was trying," he reminded her with a bit of annoyance in his voice. "I offered to train you how to use a weapon."

"I don't need one," she said exasperated, sending him a glare.

"You still think that after that fight?" he asked her.

Sam gritted her teeth as she looked away again. She clenched her mechanical hand into a fist, feeling it charging up. "I wasn't done yet." she mumbled before suddenly shooting a string of tiny blue bolts towards Riku.

As she expected he blocked them with Soul Eater but the blue bolts stuck to its metal rather than bouncing off or being absorbed completely, much to Riku's surprise. Then she turned her attention to the main weapons rack against the wall as the glow of her arm changed to red and fired a string of red bolts towards them. As the red bolts crackled over the surface, Riku outstretched his hand and fired Dark Aura towards Sam. She rolled out of the way but didn't expect them to hone in on her. Her eyes widened as she flicked her wrist to activate her shield, but it came too late as the burning auras of darkness crushed into her. She cringed from the sharp pain but shook it off as she sprang back to her feet and let out an energy pulse from her arm. The blue and red bolts of energy on the weapons glowed brightly and began to vibrate.

Riku looked down at Soul Eater questioningly before it suddenly was whisked from his grip as the weapons on the rack also flung forward until they clashed together with a loud clang and crashed to the sparring mat. Sam smirked at Riku's surprised expression and fired a burst of energy towards him. To her surprise he just simply brought up a dark shield before holding out his hand and resummoning Soul Eater. Sam's mouth gaped open as it appeared in his hand.

"That's it, you asked for it," Riku grumbled as he sprinted towards her.

Sam stumbled backwards and flicked her wrist, activating her shield just in time as Riku slammed Soul Eater against it. The force of the blow slid her back a few inches before she pushed her weight against him and shoved him back. She fired a blast of energy towards him, but he easily deflected it, sending it back towards her. Her shield absorbed the shot but not before Riku dropped to the ground and swiped his foot under Sam, sending her tumbling to the ground with a yelp. She broke her fall with her arms, making her shield deactivate as Riku jumped back up and sliced Soul Eater straight towards her. With a gasp, she rolled out of the way and fired another blast of energy at him, but it missed as he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. As the blast hit a shimmering dark shield before it could hit the wall, Sam scrambled to her feet and quickly spun around, trying to keep a keen eye for where Riku would reappear.

Merely inches in front of her a black pulsating portal appeared from the ground. Sam stepped back and immediately fired a blast into the portal, stepping aside when it fired right back out at her. Against her better judgment, she glanced back at the blast as it hit a shimmering shield, not realizing as Riku exited the portal. She turned her attention back in front of her and choked on her breath when she saw Riku right in front of her. He reached forward and grabbed both of her wrists before she could fully react and with a strong heave, he flipped her over his shoulder, sending her straight to the sparring mat. She landed hard on her back, her breath leaving her the moment she hit the ground.

She began to groan while covering her eyes with her hand. "Dammit..." Her chest heaved up and down as she struggled to regain her breath.

Riku, also short of breath, sat down on the mat beside her. Sweat dripped down his skin and looking at Sam he could see she was the same. They took a couple minutes to breath before Riku spoke up.

"You have a lot to learn…But-" he noticed her move her hand away from her face so she could glance at him while he spoke. "-you also aren't half-bad." The smallest hint of a smirk teased the corner of Sam's mouth before he added, "Don't let that go to your head. Last thing you need is me feeding your ego."

Her smirk slightly grew but she didn't say anything in response.

Riku pushed himself to stand and looked down at her as he told her. "You have a lot of tricks, but you need to know when and how to properly use them." he inhaled deeply, trying to regain his breath before adding, "And I'm still standing by you needing to learn how to use a weapon. Because when I go at you just with Soul Eater, you don't have a good way to fight me back."

Sam let out a long breath before slowly nodding, "Alright… fine, you win. You gave me a chance, so... " she gulped a breath of air, "I'll try it your way now."

"Took long enough to convince you," Riku chuckled and held out his hand to her to help her up, "You really are a pain."

She took his hand and was pulled to her feet. "Look who's talking." she replied with the same smirk still on her face.

He smirked back before walking to the pile of weapons scattered on the sparring mat. He let out a long sigh, "You're going to have to clean this up."

"Yeah, yeah," she waved him off as she walked over and grabbed the wooden staff off the ground. "I'll do it later. Are you going to teach me or not?"

Riku picked up the other staff and walked to the opposite end of the sparring room to be away from the pile of weapons. Sam followed him close behind and stopped a few feet from him before readying her weapon. Riku turned around and readied his own weapon, but paused when he saw the way Sam was holding hers with both of her hands near the end.

Shaking his head, he lowered his staff and walked towards her. "First of all, that is not at all how you're supposed to hold it." he grabbed one of her hands and placed it higher up on the staff. "It's not a sword, you don't keep both of your hands on one end. It's a longer weapon that you need to learn to balance." He backed up and held out his staff correctly, waiting for her to follow his lead. "Now show me how to hit with it."

"Me?" she asked while raising one of her eyebrows. "I thought you were the one teaching me."

"You had a staff back on Montressor," He reminded her, "How did you fight with that?"

"Obviously wrong since I was apparently holding it wrong." she replied with a bit of sass in her voice.

"Just, show me something." he frowned at her attitude.

"Fine," she sighed while awkwardly stabbing the staff forward before attempting to swing it over her shoulder but hitting herself with the end of it in the process.

"Well, I sure have my work cut out for me…" Riku muttered under his breath as he watched her aimlessly handle the weapon.

"What?" she asked half-distracted by her movements.

"It's nothing," he shook his head while reaching forward and grabbing her staff to make her stop. "Let's get started."

Riku spent the next four hours teaching Sam every trick and rule about properly handling the staff. There were several times one of them would lose their tempers and a impromptu sparring match would break out. Every one of them ended with Sam on the ground cursing under her breath as she gradually became more sore and injured. Eventually it was nearing the last leg of their trip and Sam was barely staying on her feet.

She plopped down on the ground completely exhausted, "Alright, I know you want me to master this thing, but shouldn't I at least have some energy left for the mission?"

Riku tossed his staff to the sparring mat and sat down beside Sam, panting as drops of sweat gleamed on his skin. "Yeah, that's good for now."

Sam let out a sigh of relief as she fell onto her back. She stared up at the ceiling and let out a small groan. "I feel like crap. You weren't messing around with those sparring matches…"

"I told you I wouldn't," he reminded her.

"Yeah, but… I didn't think you would hit that hard," she defended as she shut her eyes. "Every muscle in my body hurts…"

Riku looked over at her and noticed purple bruises forming all over her skin. A trickle of guilt settled in his gut and letting out a breath he told her. "Look, I can make you feel better, but it's going to hurt a lot first."

Sam opened one of her eyes and looked at him with an utterly confused face. "Are you coming onto me?"

His face deeply flushed as he stammered, "Wh-what? Of course not! What do you think I'm talking about?" he quickly shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was just saying I could use a healing spell on you, but it hurts. Like a lot."

"Oh," she realized before letting out a snicker. "You should have seen the look on your face. I can't wait to tell Hinata."

Riku deeply frowned but didn't respond to her comment, instead he asked. "Do you want me to help or not?"

"I mean as long as you aren't coming onto me, go right ahead." she motioned her hand towards him. "This was your doing after all."

"You're ridiculous…" he muttered as he hovered his hand above her.

He focused his gaze on his hand and within seconds a green mist began emitting from his palm. Sam looked at it warily, vaguely remembering Riku healing her when she was burned. She took a sharp breath as it made contact with her skin and she tightly closed her eyes. It traveled through her body, going under her skin as it painstakingly made each bruise and cut disappear without a trace.

"You weren't kidding…" she griped through gritted teeth. "This sucks."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he told her with a breathless voice before finally pulling back his hand, stopping the mist altogether. "I'm done."

"Finally," she sighed as she sat up. "I already feel a lot better." she glanced over at him. "Thanks for that."

"Yeah," he shortly replied as he pushed himself to his feet, stumbling a bit before fully regaining balance.

"Are you alright?" she asked him while looking at him warily.

He nodded, "Just… tired. Doing that takes a lot out of me."

"Oh, well then go get some food or something." she told him.

"I was planning on it," he grimaced as he stumbled past her to leave the sparring room.

The next hour of the trip passed silently as Sam crashed in her room and Riku regained what energy he could before Ben called down to them that they had reached their destination. Sam tiredly rubbed her eyes and let out a large yawn as she emerged from her room. The black cloak DiZ had given her was tightly fitted around her torso and thin hips before loosely falling to her ankles. She walked up the steps leading to the deck and stretched her arms as she reached the top. Riku stood at the railing also wearing a black cloak and glanced back at her as she came up.

"Sleep well?" he asked her as she approached him.

She shrugged while letting out another yawn, "More or less… I'm really sore."

"You'll get used to it," he assured her before turning to look back at the world below them.

Sam followed his gaze and widened her eyes at the sight. The place below wasn't like any planet she had ever wasn't a plain round sphere but instead appeared to be a giant city floating in space. On the top side stood a giant white castle that glowed brilliantly even from the deck of the ship. Below the castle on the opposite side of the world was an array of dark buildings that seemed to be floating in place rather than attached to any large mass of land. Sam looked up at the tallest spire on the castle on the top side of the world and spotted something that made her furrow her brows. Almost hidden by the castle was a pale moon, yet it was shaped like a heart.

"How is that possible?" Sam asked, noticing Riku give her a questioning look before she clarified. "That moon."

"That's Kingdom Hearts," he answered her with a frown as he looked back to the world. "It's where all the hearts from Heartless go when they die."

"What?" Sam looked up at him confused. "What are you talking about? I thought Heartless were creatures with no hearts; hence the name."

"They're creatures of darkness that were once people that lost their hearts." He attempted to explain. "But it's only when a Heartless is actually defeated that its heart is released and it when that happens it comes here to Kingdom Hearts."

Sam frowned as she stared uneasily at the moon. "So… Heartless are actually people?"

"Not really, not anymore anyways." he replied before shaking his head and turning to face her, "Look, I'll give you a history lesson later. We have a mission to do."

Sam swallowed hard and nodded, "Right. But wait, how do you know all this stuff?"

"DiZ told me," he told her as he turned and walked over to the navigation, leaving Sam to gaze back down at the world below. "Ben, we need you to get us as close to the laboratory as possible."

Ben nodded while his fingers quickly pressed a large array of buttons on the control board. "The closest I can get you is Sector C." he explained as he blinked his eyes, making them brightly shine. They flickered a moment before bringing up a hologram with the layout of the Organization's stronghold appear in front of them.

Sam slowly walked up to be beside Riku, her eyes fixated on the hologram. It appeared to be showing the inside of the castle in the lower levels below the main floor. There were multiple levels of halls and rooms, each intertwining and layered over each other in what appeared to Sam to be a tangled mess. Three floors below the main one was a pulsating green dot in a small corner room that appeared to be situated on the outer wall of the castle. From the dot a similar color dotted line led through different halls and rooms before ending at a blue dot two floors down.

RIku crossed his arms and questioned, "That's really the closest?" he stepped forward, walking into the hologram and pointed towards a passageway situated on the outer wall of the castle only one floor down from the lab. "Why not here? We'd only have to make it up one floor and it doesn't cut through any of the other rooms."

"As DiZ expected, there is something from the world that is jamming a lot of our core navigation systems; leaving only a few openings for me to beam you to." Ben explained, still quickly typing along the control board. "It's taking more than half of my processors to keep those spots open and even now there is no guarantee they will stay that way."

"So there's a chance we won't be able to beam back up at the same place," Riku realized with a frown as he placed his hand to his chin.

"Wait," Sam stepped forward, "Can't you just use that Corridor thing to instantly take us to the lab once we get down there?"

Riku shook his head, "These cloaks keep the Organization from sensing us, but if I summon a Corridor of Darkness they'll be able to sense it being opened and know something's up. And they'll know exactly where it originated from."

"Oh," she realized with a small frown. "Never mind then. Won't they notice Ben beaming us down? That's not exactly a small amount of power that they'll just ignore."

"They pay attention to Corridor usage and hearts," Riku replied, "Not random electrical power surges."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I'm sure DiZ would have warned us if they did," Ben spoke up. "He was very specific that I beam you down rather than landing, so he must have taken that into consideration."

Sam wordlessly nodded, but didn't reply.

He glanced up at her and asked, "Can you do anything about the systems being jammed?"

Sam walked over to the control board and watched the navigation screen as lines of jumbled code streamed across it. She examined it for a couple minutes with a focused expression, but eventually shook her head and confessed, "I could if I stayed up here and worked on it while you were down there, but you're going to need me down there to get past Vexen's firewalls."

Riku let out a long breath and shook his head, "This is going to be risky, but we don't exactly have a choice."

"I'll keep the entry and exit point open as long as possible," Ben assured him. "If you move at maximum capacity you should be able to finish the mission within an hour and I am 85.05% certain I can keep them open for that amount of time."

"Well that's not reassuring," Sam noted with a small frown as she stepped up to be right beside him. She reached forward and completed a few keystrokes, making the code on the screen slow a considerable speed.

Ben paused for a moment and asked, "What did you do?"

"Transferred power from the nonessential ship compartments to here," she explained while completing a few more keystrokes. "It should give the computer a boost and help you keep back whatever virus they're sending through, at least for a little while."

"Huh…" Ben said almost dumbfounded as she walked away. "I don't know why I didn't think of that."

"Sometimes a human mind can think more outside the box than a robot can," she commented with a small smile as she came back beside Riku and stared at the hologram. "So what should we be expecting down there?"

Without looking away from the map, he replied. "There will probably be random Heartless and Nobodies wandering around that we'll have to take out as quickly and quietly as we can. Other than that…" he shook his head as his voice trailed off.

Sam looked over at him with raised eyebrows, "You don't know?"

He inhaled deeply and admitted, "This is my first time here too."

"So… we could beam down there and be immediately surrounded by Organization Members?" she asked with disbelief.

"I have scanned the immediate area," Ben spoke up. "There are no lifeforms in the immediate vicinity of where I will beam you down. Well uh, I guess that would technically be true no matter what since you know Organization guys aren't really alive..." he chuckled at himself before clearing his mechanical throat, "But-uh, I scanned for them specifically and didn't see any."

"Well that's good at least," Sam sighed.

"We'll still have to be careful," Riku reminded her. "Just because they won't be near by doesn't mean we won't run into them." He glanced up at her and waited until she was looking back at him before he added, "If we do end up running into one of them, you need to follow my lead. I didn't have time to teach you about each of the Member's abilities and fighting patterns." he noticed Sam's slight grimace and added, "It has nothing to do with your fighting ability; I just want to make sure you don't jump into a fight you aren't properly prepared for. You'll be in for a big surprise."

"Alright," she swallowed her pride and nodded.

"Which reminds me," he remembered, "Go downstairs and grab a staff from the sparring room. There should be a metal one you can take, it's a lot like the one you had on Montressor and can change its size."

"Oh yeah, forgot I'll have to carry that thing around." She sighed as she turned and headed below deck.

She soon came back up with a foot long staff sheathed in a leather belt around her hips. The hologram map had disappeared and Riku was going over the final details with Ben.

"If anything changes, contact me immediately," Riku told him firmly. "If we need to got to go to another exit point we'll figure it out."

"Will do," Ben nodded as he continued to work the control board. "And thanks a ton Sam for giving the good ole' computer that boost! It's working wonders!"

"Glad it's helping," she strained a smile before looking over at Riku. "I have to admit, I'm starting to get a bit nervous."

"Yeah," He admitted while glancing over at the world. "But we'll be fine. Just stick close to me." when Sam only nodded in response, Riku looked back at Ben and told him, "Alright Ben, beam us down."

"Good luck!" Ben sent them a small wave before pressing a button on the control board, surrounding them with a bright light and sending them to the world below.

Sam shielded her eyes from the intensity of the light and when she lowered her hands from her face when they had arrived on the new world, her mouth went slack-jawed. They stood on a glass platform surrounded by a rectangular metal railing right outside a large doorway that led into the towering castle they had seen from the ship. An immense dome surrounded them made up of random sized pieces of metal with large heart emblems carved into it.

She looked over at Riku and saw a similar expression on him. He met her gaze and opened his mouth to say something, but stopped short when he heard a familiar sound of Nobodies appearing. He spun around and saw a small group of Dusks worming their way towards them.

He immediately summoned Soul Eater and told Sam with a hushed tone. "Take these guys out and then we need to get inside. Make sure to only use your staff."

Sam bit her tongue and nodded as she reached beside her and pulled out her metal staff. As she held it out in front of her its side elongated another foot on either side, making it three feet long. She spun it in her hand like Riku had taught her and took her fighting position. Riku jumped back from an attack and fired a string of Dark Aura, disintegrating two of the Dusks upon impact. He absorbed the magic orbs in their wake and glanced over at Sam, seeing her strike the enemy just like he had taught her. He allowed a small smirk before getting back to fighting and helping her take out the rest of the group.

The moment the last one disappeared, they ran through the large doorway leading into the castle and found themselves in a long hall that was similarly designed to the massive dome outside. Riku led the way as Sam followed close behind, keeping her staff readied at her side. He stopped in front of a doorway and put out his arm to stop Sam as he leaned against the wall before peeking around the side. It was a round chamber with a glass ceiling and surprisingly had long couches situated around the room as if it served as something of a resting area for the Organization Members. Riku raised an eyebrow from the sight but shook it off as he slinked inside the room and pulled out his silver communication device from his coat pocket. As Sam came up beside him, he pressed a small button along the side of it, bringing up a small map hologram that only showed the floor they were on with a small green dot representing where they were and a thin dotted line leading further down the hall.

"We need to get to the stairwell at the end of the hall," Riku told Sam with his voice barely over a whisper.

"Alright," Sam nodded as she peeked back out to the hall. "So far so good."

"Yeah," He nodded before mentioning, "And good job with those Dusks. You actually listened to what I taught you."

She whipped her attention back to him in surprise before smiling, "Thanks."

He gave her a small smile before flipping the communications device off. He placed it back in his coat pocket as he carefully led the way back to the hall. They continued on they way, checking every room they passed, thankful each one was devoid of Organization Members. Without any trouble they reached the first staircase and walked down them as silently as possible to reach another hall with an almost exact design to the floor above. Before they were able to take a single step down the hall they heard the distinct murmur of voices up ahead.

Riku glanced back at Sam and put a finger up to his lips before leading on ahead, making sure to stay close to the wall. They reached the first room and Riku carefully peeked around the doorway, seeing a three Organization Members on the far left side of the room sitting on tall pristine white chairs speaking with a man Riku didn't recognize that was standing in the center of area. The man's skin was a shimmering blue and his large almond shaped eyes were a glazed red. His cheeks were sunken in, giving the rest of his flat face an unsettling look. A large brimmed hat sat atop his head, matching the style of his long brown coat that went down to his calves. Odd tubes stuck out from either side of his face, attaching to a device strapped to his back. Two guns were strapped to his legs and his hands were hovering right above them.

"I don't usually smuggle live cargo-" the man spoke up to the Organization Members with a throaty voice. "-especially in a system I'm not familiar with. It will cost you triple my normal rate."

"As if," Riku recognized Xigbar's unforgettable voice. Xigbar waved his hand dismissively at the man as he lounged in his seat. "You're lucky we're willing to pay you anything."

"Was it not for us, your ship would still be stranded in the middle of space," Saix added, sitting beside Xigbar.

"Part of me still think my ship's system failing right when you arrived was not a coincidence." The man replied with a bit of hiss in his voice.

Xigbar chuckled as he leaned forward in his seat, "Tell you what, you do this mission gratis and we'll in turn promise not to kill you." he shrugged, "Seems like a good deal to me."

"I don't do jobs for free," the man growled.

Xigbar looked over at Saix and shrugged, "And I was just beginning to like the guy!" Holding out his hand he summoned his arrow gun, causing the man to immediately pull out his guns.

Riku looked back at Sam and pulled up his coat's hood, making sure she did the same before he motioned his head down the hall. He double checked to make sure the group inside the room was still distracted. Xigbar and the man both stood, glaring each other down, but they had yet to spring to attack. Giving a nod to Sam, he quickly moved past the doorway, making sure she was right behind him.

"We will pay the triple rate," Xemnas' voice made Riku freeze. "This is too important."

"I'm happy to hear it," the man replied with a smile obvious in his voice. Riku could hear him replacing his guns into their holsters. "Then I am at your service. I'll have the girl back here within the week."

"She will not be transported here," Saix replied. "You'll be taking her to a planet back in your star system, Kamino."

Riku whipped around, "Hinata…" he whispered as he looked over at Sam. Her face was concealed by the hood of the coat but he was sure her expression was just as worried as his.

"And good luck trying to find her," Xigbar added, "She's disappeared off our radar."

"I have my methods," the man assured them. "The little lady won't be able to elude me for long."

Riku clenched his fists and stepped back towards the doorway, but Sam tightly grabbed his arm, stopping him. He glared down at her as she silently stared back up at him, both of their faces concealed by their hoods.

"We need to go," she whispered to him, her words barely audible.

He looked back up at the doorway, hearing them continuing to discuss tracking down and capturing Hinata. Shaking his head he pushed Sam's hand off his arm and turned back around to continue down the hall. They quickened their pace, barely checking the other rooms as they raced to reach the stairway before the Organization's meeting ended. As they reached the next floor they were confronted by a group of various Nobodies. RIku summoned a long string of Dark Aura, taking the entire front line out in an instant. Summoning Soul Eater he sliced through the remaining enemies, only leaving a couple for Sam to take out on her own.

"Riku, slow down," Sam whispered to him as she took out a Dusk before jogging after him.

He stopped beside a doorway and peeked inside the room before moving on. "We need to get that research so we can get back and warn Hinata," he told her with a quieted voice. "If they're stooping low enough to hire mercenaries to find her, there's no telling how many of those guys will be after her."

Sam was silent for a moment as she continued to follow after him before replying, "We'll deal with that after the mission."

"I know, so we need to hurry up and get it done," he replied shortly as they reached the final stairwell.

She nodded as they descended the stairs and despite saying they would deal with it later, she asked. "Will she still be safe at the mansion?"

Riku took a moment to reply, "I don't know. Depends on how good that guy is," he shook his head, "But we can't focus on that right now."

"Right, sorry," she replied, making sure to keep her voice down.

They reached the next floor and Riku went to the first door on the right that was tightly shut. It was a completely white door with an intricate design carved into the doorway. Riku toggled the long door handle, scowling when he found it locked.

"I've got this," Sam told him as she stepped forward.

Reaching into her coat pocket she pulled out a small thin metal stick and knelt in front of the door, sticking it inside the narrow keyhole. Riku summoned Soul Eater and turned around, keeping guard as Sam worked.

"I'm surprised there's actually a regular door here," she whispered as she fiddled with the stick in the lock. "With all the crazy technology around this place, you'd think a regular door would be pretty out of place."

"Just get it open," Riku quietly scolded her.

She turned her stick to the left, hearing a slight clicking sound from inside the lock. "Done," she stood up and opened the door, allowing Riku to go in before she followed behind him.

Closing the door behind them, she relocked the door before turning to look at the new room they found themselves in. Everything was completely white, just like the door that led them inside. A large screened computer was across the room on a long desk with multiple smaller computer monitors beside it. Wires and glass tubes that went from the ceiling into the floor were along the right of the room and along the left were cabinets filled with various vials of different ingredients and potions, all from past experiments Vexen had completed.

"So this is what the lab of a mad scientist looks like," Sam commented as she walked over to the computer, her voice back to a normal tone. "A lot more organized than I would have imagined."

Riku slowly looked around the room, still holding Soul Eater at his side. He approached one of the glass tubes and looked inside. "This looks like what Hinata said she saw back at her home world."

"What was it?" Sam asked as she switched the computer to life.

"Basically a test tube for human subjects," he replied, getting a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "The Organization would store a human in here to study the process of them turning into Heartless."

Sam glanced back at the tubes with a look of distaste before looking back to the computer screen as it loaded up. "These guys are a lot more twisted than I thought."

"Yeah," He replied as he continued to walk around the room.

"How can Hinata defend these guys?" She asked as she was met with a password lock screen on the computer. Without reacting she simply began typing away on the keyboard to bypass it.

"She sees them differently," he explained as he went over to the cabinet full of vials and potions. "She knew most of them before they turned into Members and she has a hard time accepting they've changed."

"No kidding," She replied as she got past the password screen.

Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a small blue device and plugged it into a jack on the side of the monitor as she looked at the screen. Multiple files covered the entire desktop screen, each labeled a corresponding experiment number.

"I'm not entirely sure which experiment is the right one to look at," She mumbled as she clicked through the files.

Pictures and documents flooded the screen, showcasing all of the experiments Vexen had completed during his time as a Member. Some of the pictures made Sam's stomach churn as they were photos of people in the various stages of turning into Heartless. She exited out of them as quickly as she could and let out a shaking breath.

"You alright?" Riku called back to her.

"Just… seeing things I wish I hadn't," she replied as she finally found a full list of all the experiments by their title rather than numbered. "Think I'm finally on to something though. There haven't been any firewalls yet."

Riku finished looking around the room and leaned up against the wall beside the door as he crossed his arms. "They might only activate once you start downloading the info."

"Probably…" she replied in a distracted tone.

Riku drummed his fingers along his arm as he commented, "I'm surprised you're as good with computers as you are with ships."

"I'm not honestly," she slowly replied, "But ship interfaces and computers behave similar, so it's pretty easy for me to pick up."

He nodded in reply but didn't say anything. Instead he went back to silently waiting for her to finish her work. A few more minutes passed before she spoke up again.

"I think I found it," she spoke up as she read aloud, "The Core of Kingdom Hearts… it's the only thing I've seen remotely about Kingdom Hearts; you think that's it?"

"Worth a shot," he shrugged, "While it's downloading, keep searching through the files in case you find something else."

"Alright," she nodded, "Download commencing. Now we pray no firewalls or viruses start popping up."

"Yeah." he agreed.

"Oops…well, too late, there's a firewall…" she mumbled as she began quickly typing across the keyboard. A couple minutes passed before she let out a breath of relief, "Alright, broke through it and it's almost done downloading. That wasn't too bad."

Riku smirked, "Good job."

"Thanks," she replied with a smile obvious in her voice. "You're starting to warm up to me, aren't you? That's twice you've complimented me."

"Don't push it," He quickly replied, making her chuckle.

She went back to searching for a moment before she found something that made her pause.

"Riku…" she said his name with a bit of uneasiness.

"What is it?" he asked while pushing himself off the wall.

"That Namine girl that's back at the mansion, she can change people's memories can't she?" she asked.

"Well only Sora and people's memories of him," he explained as he walked up behind her, "Why what's wrong?"

"I accidentally clicked on this file about an experiment that Vexen did about memories," she told him, unable to take her eyes away from the screen. "It says here that he discovered a way to duplicate Namine's power."

"What?" he asked with a raised voice as he leaned forward and read the file Sam was referring to. "The creep actually figured it out…" he whispered while pushing himself back from the desk. He crossed his arms and paced a bit before suddenly asking, "Can you wipe that computer?"

She glanced up at him confused, "Yeah, but why? I thought we didn't want to leave any evidence of us being here."

"Is there a way this computer is linked to the computers in Kamino?" he asked her.

"It's possible, but why are you wanting me to wipe it clean?" she asked again, putting her hands out to her side in slight annoyance.

"If Replica Vexen is using the same files as this computer then wiping it clean here will keep him from being able to use the information where he is." he explained, "Specifically all that info about manipulating memories."

Sam looked back at the computer and began typing, "Well alright. I can wipe it here, but there's no telling if he has a back-up."

"I don't care, anything to throw a wrench in that creep's plans." Riku replied.

"What if the other Members find out everything is wiped?" She asked as she began the process.

"They won't have any way to know it was us," He reminded her.

She nodded as she made a few more keystrokes. "All I have to do is press enter and the whole system will crash." The blue device on the side of the monitor let out a quiet chime and Sam grabbed it and pulled it out. "And the Kingdom Hearts info is all downloaded and ready to go. I'm a bit confused why there wasn't more resistance with this."

"He probably didn't expect anyone to actually try to break into the stronghold just to steal some documents." Riku shrugged, before telling her. "Now crash the system."

Sam nodded and pressed the enter key, causing all of the monitors to flicker before zapping to a screen full of garbled code. "Done. By the time we're beamed out of here the whole system will be down."

"Perfect, let's go," he placed his hand on her shoulder and turned to leave. "Wait, you need to unlock the door."

"What, you can't do it?" she asked him with a bit of a smirk. She walked past him to the door and flipped a tiny metal switch on the knob. "Done."

"Oh," he simply said. "I thought-"

"That I needed to lockpick it again?" she asked with a chuckle as she opened the door.

She gasped when she saw the man that had been talking with the Organization Members earlier was standing right at the doorway staring at her with a smirk along his cracked lips. Riku grabbed her arm and pulled her back behind him as he summoned Soul Eater and glared at the man with a scowl.

"I was wondering why two Members of the Organization would be sneaking around their own castle," the man spoke up as he held out his hands in front of him as if he were examining his fingers. He looked at them, noticing their glares and smirked before lightly tipping his hat, "Cad Bane, at your service. And who might you be?"

"I'm thinking it's none of your business," Sam bit.

"Okay then, we're doing this the hard way" Bane said with a chuckle, pulling out two blasters from his hips and pointing them at Riku and Sam.

Riku fired Dark Aura, but Bane effortlessly sidestepped the projectiles, immediately returning fire with a rapid salvo from each blaster. Sam raised her shield to block the incoming shots, while Riku quickly rolled away. Wasting no time, Riku then leaped towards Bane with a wide sweep of his sword, which Bane ducked under, backing away as he continued to fire at Riku.

Sam, taking advantage of the opening, grabbed her staff and rushed up behind Bane; who quickly rolled out of the way at the sound of her heavy footsteps. Riku and Sam kept up their pursuit, both trying to keep pressure on Bane so he couldn't get a clear shot.

Cad Bane ducked and wove around their swipes, backing up slowly. Suddenly, he reached out and caught Sam's staff as she came in for a swing, giving it a quick twist and knocking her off her feet. Riku pressed his offensive as she fell to the ground, and Bane began using the staff to block Riku's blade.

"I hope you kids can do better than this" Cad Bane taunted. "I've taken down Jedi, you know."

Sam grit her teeth and scowled, standing up and holding out her mechanical arm. beginning to charge its power.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Riku asked between breaths, "You're not supposed to use that here!"

"Screw that!" Sam yelled back. "Our cover's blown anyways!"

At that, Sam released a massive bolt of lightning that illuminated the room, but Bane was too quick on his feet and she missed her target; blasting huge chunks out of the wall. Enraged, Sam began rapid firing small bolts of electricity at the bounty hunter, who continued to bob and weave erratically past her shots.

"Okay, that's enough of that" Bane growled, running up and kicking Sam with a flying leap. Sam tumbled back into the corner, and scrambled back to her feet to see Bane holding out his arm towards her, an orange glow coming from a device mounted on this forearm. Sam instinctively activated her shield just in time to protect herself from the billowing fires of Bane's flamethrower, the heat whisping around the shield.

Riku ran towards Cad Bane, who continued to inundate Sam in flames as he used Sam's staff to parry Riku's blade.

"Riku, my shield is failing!" Sam cried desperately from behind the wall of fire. "It can't take much more of this!"

Riku stepped back, firing off several volleys of Dark Aura at Cad Bane, who continued to sidestep the shots while keeping his flamethrower focused on Sam.

"What's going on over there?" A voice yelled out from down the hallway.

"Dammit!" Riku groaned. He warped himself behind Sam and created a portal, making them disappear into a Corridor of Darkness.

Sam looked around as she realized she was no longer under fire and saw herself sitting in the middle of a Corridor. Her chest heaved as her heart pounded in her ears. She deactivated her shield and stood up, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Hurry up!" Riku yelled back to Sam. "It's only a matter of time before the Organization figures out what's going on!"

She looked towards him, seeing him running up ahead towards the light shining at the end of the hall. She sprinted after him, wincing as her muscles screamed in protest. As they reached the light, they reappeared on the deck of the ship, much to Ben's surprise. Sam spun around, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"Ben, get us out of here!" Riku ordered with a yell.

"Wha-what?" Ben asked in complete confusion, "I don't understand how yo-"

"Just do it!" Riku commanded.

Ben wordlessly nodded as he scrambled and immediately started up the ship's engines, flying them away from the world.

"Why did you summon a Corridor?" Sam stalked up to Riku. "I asked for help, not an evacuation! There's no way the Organization didn't notice that!"

Riku spun towards her with a scowl and admonished her, "Just like there's no way they didn't notice that huge blast you fired from your arm! I told you not to use it!"

"I didn't have a choice!" she yelled back, her intense glare matching his. "That Bane guy took my weapon from me! What did you expect me to do?"

"Find cover, let me handle it?!" Riku flung his arms out furiously. "You put the entire mission and our lives in jeopardy because you're completely reckless!"

"I did the best I could!" she blurt out with tears stinging the corners of her eyes.

"Well that's obviously not good enough!" he shouted back.

Sam's eyes slightly widened from his words. Regret washed over her as she averted her gaze and blinked back tears. "You're right…" she confessed with a weak shaking voice.

Riku paused from her reaction and silently watched her as she struggled to keep herself from breaking down in front of him.

"I-I should have listened or been more careful," she continued, attempting to keep her voice level as she kept her gaze away from him. "I didn't mean-," her voice trailed off as she shook her head and licked her lips. "I didn't mean to make things worse. I just…" She took a sharp breath and pushed past Riku, escaping below deck and running to her room.

She slammed her bedroom door closed behind her and slid to the floor. Her knees were close to her chest and she tightly wrapped her arms around them while leaning her head back against the door with her eyes closed. She licked her lips again and took in a shaking breath. Ever so slowly a single tear fell down her cheek before they suddenly began pouring down, one after another. Her bottom lip quivered as small sobs and whimpers escaped her. She buried her face in between her knees and finally let her walls fall as she fully broke down.

Up on the deck Riku was standing at the starboard as he leaned against the railing.

His shoulders were slumped as he absently traced the grain of the wood with his finger, lost in thought. Eventually he let out a long breath buried his face in his hands. "What's wrong with me?" he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Author's Note: Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Also shout out to my awesome husband for writing the fight scene between Bane, Riku, and Sam. I for the life of me couldn't write a good scene for it, so I asked for his help and I love how it turned out.
> 
> Also, for those of you who may not know, Cad Bane is a Mercenary Bounty Hunter in the Star Wars universe. He appeared mostly in the Clone Wars tv show that I am in love with. Like I don't usually like shows based off of movies, but this one is amazing! Anyways, thank you all again for reading! Let me know what you think! ***


	32. Discoveries

Chapter 32

***Recap: Riku and Sam were sent on a dangerous mission to The World That Never Was to retrieve information on Kingdom Hearts from Vexen's computer database. While there they run into a fearless Bounty Hunter named Cad Bane that the Organization is hiring to track down Hinata. They battle with the Bounty Hunter but due to Sam's inexperience, they are forced to flee and give away their position to the Organization. Upon returning to the ship and escaping, Riku loses his temper with Sam, causing her to run to her room before breaking down. ***

Riku stood at the railing at the ship, staring absently out at the streaks of stars passing around them. Ben was humming a simple tune as he controlled the ship at the navigation. He occasionally glanced over at Riku with a small frown on his metal face before going back to his work.

Eventually, he cleared his mechanical throat and spoke up, "Uh, you know, it's a beautiful day out here in space today!"

Riku half-looked over his shoulder at Ben but then went back to staring at space, not bothering to respond.

Ben let out a wistful sigh and whispered, "Well that didn't go well…" He looked down at the navigation screen and thought for a moment before speaking up again. "I bet Hinata will be so relieved you and Sam finished the mission without getting hurt! Well, uh, not physically anyway." He noticed Riku hang his head down with a sigh and quickly added, "I mean, uh- never mind… I'll just be quiet now." He ran his hand over his mouth, motioning himself zipping his mouth closed.

"It's fine Ben," Riku told him. "You're not wrong." he glanced at Ben over his shoulder before adding. "And... I'm sorry for how hard I've been on you lately." He ran his hand through his hair while letting out a long breath. "I've been hard on everyone lately."

A few seconds of silence passed between them before Ben slowly responded, "I think you only want what's best for everyone." He used one of his long metal fingers to scratch his head as his yellow eyes stared down at the navigation screen. "And you get upset when others mess up because it puts them or others in danger, which I don't think is a bad thing."

"It's when I get so mad I end up hurting them in the process that's the problem," Riku interrupted.

"Well that's what apologies are for!" Ben pointed out while literally pointing his finger into the air with a grin. "You apologized to me so all that's left is to apologize to Sam!"

Riku fully turned around to face Ben and leaned his back against the railing while crossing his arms. "I don't think she wants to talk to me right now," he confessed. "She needs some time alone."

"I'm sure she'll come around," Ben assured him. "In the meantime, why don't you call Hinata?"

"Call her?" Riku asked while looking up at Ben. He thought about it for a moment before reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out his communication device. "That might not be a bad idea." He began to turn back around to face the railing and added, "And uh-thanks."

"For what?" Ben asked.

"For what you said," Riku told him. "You aren't half bad sometimes."

Ben waved his hand towards him and laughed, "Oh you don't mean that. These rusty circuits of mine can get me into a lot of trouble sometimes."

Riku softly chuckled as he leaned his arms on the railing and placed the communications device in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he tapped the center button down and watched its seams glow and pulsate as the call connected. Within a few seconds a small blue hologram of Hinata sitting at a desk with a large opened book appeared in front of him. Riku smiled the moment he saw her.

"Hey," she greeted him warily while looking him over. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yeah," he shook his head and lightly laughed. "Don't worry, we finished the mission. I just…" his voice trailed off as he pushed some of his hair out of his face. "...wanted to see you."

"Oh," she simply replied while a smile spread across her face. Despite the blue hue of the hologram, Riku could tell her cheeks were darkening from blush. "Well that's really sweet of you."

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" he asked her.

"No, not at all, I was just doing some reading," she told him as she absently flipped through a couple of the pages of the book in front of her.

"What about?" he asked.

She looked up at him with a slightly confused look, "You don't want to tell me about the mission?"

His smile slightly faltered as he momentarily looked away. "I'd rather hear about you."

Hinata eyed him with a frown. "Is… everything alright? Did something happen?" When he didn't reply she quietly added, "Riku…"

"Stuff did happen," he admitted, looking back at her. "But I need some time to cool off and- you're really good at helping me do that."

"So basically you need me to help distract you," she surmised. When he reluctantly nodded a small smile appeared on her face and she looked down at the book in front of her. "Well then, I was actually just doing some research on the Organization."

"You were?" he asked in surprise. "Does DiZ actually have a book about them?"

"Surprisingly yes," she chuckled. "It surprised me too."

"What made you decide to look at it?" he asked.

"Well after you and Sam left I hung out a bit with Namine, but after a few hours she wanted some time alone so she could draw, so I started wandering around the mansion searching for something to do. I tried making myself something to eat, but that didn't work out so well. So that's when I-" She glanced up at Riku noticing a loving smile on his face. "What?"

"Nothing," he put his hands up in fake surrender and tried to keep himself from laughing. "Keep going." When she gave him an unconvinced look, he confessed, "You always go into these long explanations when I ask you things."

"I do not!" she objected with a laugh before shrugging, "Well alright, maybe I do sometimes, but it's only because I don't want you to miss any of the details!"

"I don't mind it," he assured her with a sweet smile. "I think it's kind of adorable."

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes and waved him off while her cheeks once again darkened. "Do you want to hear the story or not?"

"I'm not stopping you," he shrugged. "You're the one that insisted I tell why I was smiling at you."

She looked at him with a half smile and raised eyebrows, before letting out a breath and continuing, "Alright so I was bored out of my mind, so I decided to try looking through DiZ's library to see if I could find anything interesting. He was actually looking around the library himself when I went in and we talked a bit about you and Sam going on the mission and how the Heart Encoder was almost done; then he asked what I was doing there and I told him I was looking for something interesting to read. That's when he walked to one of the shelves and pulled out this book. He said I could-" She cleared her throat and badly attempted to mimic DiZ's voice, "-try to make myself useful and see what I could learn about the Organization that could help in our mission." She laughed at herself before continuing, "So, I took it and brought it back to our room. And I've been reading it ever since."

Riku chuckled before asking, "Find anything interesting?"

"A lot actually," she admitted. "Like did you know that the reason Xehanort puts an X in each of the Members' names when they become a Member is because it represents both the light and darkness?"

"Just like they do," Riku commented.

"Yeah, exactly," Hinata nodded. "Xehanort- or Xemnas I guess he calls himself now, believes his whole Organization-" her voice trailed off as she flipped a few pages to read it straight from the book. "-teeters on the edge of nothingness." She scoffed, "He always was one for being dramatic."

Riku nodded as he thought it over for a moment before asking, "How did DiZ get all this info about the Organization?"

"I'm not sure," Hinata admitted. "It's all hand written, so I'm guessing it's just things he's learned about them over the years."

Riku shook his head. "DiZ doesn't make any sense. I wish I knew what his motives were."

"You and me both," she agreed.

"So the book is just a bunch of random facts about the Organization?" he asked.

"Not completely," she shrugged, "It also has separate sections for each of the Members; going into who they were or might have been before they were turned into Members and their fighting styles."

"Anything useful?" he asked.

"More interesting than useful," she admitted. "A lot of the things I already knew, like stuff about Xehanort and the other Members I knew growing up. I'm thinking of skipping ahead to read about Roxas and Xion."

"Why?"

"Because they are like the only two Members I don't know much about," she shrugged. "Plus, ever since you fought Xion at Beast's Castle, we haven't heard anything from her. And didn't Namine mention that she had a feeling there was something off about her?"

Riku nodded, "Well I suppose it's worth looking into. Although, if DiZ is the one that wrote all that stuff, don't you think he would have figured it out already?"

"Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes looking something over can discover something new," she told him with a small smile before adding, "Aeleus said that, or at least something along those lines."

"Who?" he asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, uh- Lexaeus I mean," she corrected. "That's something he used to tell me."

Riku nodded but didn't say anything in reply.

"You met him in Castle Oblivion, didn't you?" she asked.

He slowly nodded while rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Yeah… I'm uh- the one that killed him."

"Oh…" she realized while looking down at her book, fiddling with the edge of the page.

There was an awkward silence before he asked, "Was he a good guy?"

Swallowing hard she nodded, "He was. At least when he was an actual person rather than a Nobody. Really formal all the time."

"I'm sorry," he softly said while tightening his hands around the railing.

She looked up at him with surprise, "You don't have to apologize." She waited for him to glance back at her before assuring him, "You had no way to know who he was and you were only trying to protect yourself. You did what you had to do." When he slightly smiled at her words she changed the subject, "But enough about all that, what did you and Sam do during the ride to the mission?"

Riku's smile immediately vanished as he let out a long breath and began using the tip of his finger to scratch against the grain of the railing. "I just… trained her how to use a staff."

"That was a good choice for weapon," she smiled. "It suits her."

"Yeah…" he slowly replied.

"Did it not go well?" she asked while eyeing his sudden sullen disposition.

"Once I got her to finally let me train her it went fine," he shortly answered before shaking his head, "Look, can we talk about something else?"

"Did something happen with Sam?" she asked him. "Is she the reason you're so off?" When he only looked away in response she sighed, "Riku, I know you wanted me to distract you but it's hard to when I know something's wrong."

"I-" he began to explain before shaking his head and blurting with a frustrated voice, "I screwed up. Sam wasn't ready for this mission and I knew she wasn't, but I forced her to do it anyways and then blew up at her when the exact thing I knew would happen happened."

"Wait, is she alright?" she asked him, "I don't really understand."

"She's fine, physically. I got her out of there before things got too bad," he stated before admitting, "But once we got back to the ship I started yelling at her and- now she's in her room crying." He leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. "I'm an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Hinata assured him with a calm and soft voice. "DiZ shouldn't have sent her on the mission in the first place. We all knew she wasn't ready and you did the best you could to prepare her on the ride there. But even with extreme intense training, there's no way she would have been able to handle an Organization Member by the time you got there."

"But I shouldn't have exploded at her like I did," he pointed out as he looked up from his hands.

"Well maybe not, but sometimes that sort of thing happens." She sweetly smiled at him before asking, "Which Member did you guys run into?"

"It wasn't actually a Member, it was… someone else," he frowned. "A bounty hunter."

"A bounty hunter?" she repeated. "It wasn't Mordred, was it?"

Riku chuckled, "No, I wish. It was some guy called Cad Bane. The Organization is hiring him to…" his voice trailed off and he cleared his throat. "To, uh, find you."

"Find me?" she repeated his words again. "The Organization is tired of looking for me so they're hiring someone else to do it for them?" When Riku nodded she asked, "Well you and Sam apparently fought against him; was he any good?"

"Yeah, actually," he nodded. "He was able to disarm Sam within a matter of seconds and I couldn't get a clear shot at him. And he didn't even have any magic, just a ton of tricks."

"Sort of like me and Sam," she noted.

"Well just Sam," he reminded her as he pointed to his cheek in the same spot where her tattoo was.

"Oh right, water magic," she remembered as she touched her tattoo, and then let out a sigh. "Well alright, so you and Sam fought against him and it got so intense you hightailed it out of there?"

"There was more to it than that, but… basically," he nodded.

She took a deep breath as she thought it over. "Okay, well I'm sure we'll talk more about it when you guys get back and debrief with DiZ. There's no need to worry about it right now." She closed the book in front of her and clasped her hands in front of her.

Riku looked as if he wanted to say more about it but nodded his head, "Yeah, you're right. We'll talk more about it later."

"So how long ago did all of this happen?" she asked him. "Like how long has Sam been alone in her room?"

"Maybe an hour?" he guessed with a small shrug. "Why?"

"Would you mind taking me down to her?" she asked.

"Uh, sure," he nodded as he picked up the communication device and carried her down the stairs in the palm of his hand. "I don't know if she'll want to talk."

"I think she will," Hinata assured him. "She doesn't like dealing with these types of things by herself."

"I'm… sorry I upset her," he admitted.

"It's alright," she smiled at him. "I mean, I love Sam; she's one of my best friends. But she needed some sort of wake up call and maybe you doing that to her helped her realize that she needs to take a step back before rushing into things." She paused for a moment before adding, "That being said… In the future you shouldn't be so hard on her. You... have the tendency to hold other people to the same standard you hold yourself." Riku momentarily stopped walking as she continued. "Ever since you fell into the darkness you've been really hard on yourself to make sure it doesn't happen again, but I don't think you realize that you occasionally hold other people to the same almost impossible standard. Everyone, including you, makes mistakes and that's alright. That's what makes you human. You just need to remember to forgive others' mistakes the same way they forgive yours."

Riku leaned back against the stairwell wall and let out a breathy laugh. "I guess… I never thought about it like that. Sometimes I think you know me better than I do."

She giggled, "Well that sort of thing tends to happen when you fall in love with someone."

He smirked at her words and said, "Yeah, I guess that's true."

"I hope you didn't mind me saying those things," she nervously fidgeted her hands in front of her.

"Don't worry about it," he assured her. "I needed to hear it." He let out a breath and looked up towards Sam's still closed bedroom door. "But, I think I should go talk to Sam myself. I'm the one that got her into this mess."

"Well alright," she sweetly smiled at him. "Let me know how it goes. I love you."

He smiled back at her and replied, "I love you too. And thanks for talking with me. It really helped."

"Of course," she chimed. "Glad I can be of some use being stuck here."

He chuckled, "Alright, talk to you later." When she nodded with a smile, he shut off the call, making her hologram disappear. He continued walking down the stairs as he placed the device back into his coat pocket and nervously went up Sam's room. Taking a deep breath, he lightly knocked on the door. "H-hey Sam?" he called. "Can I come in?"

He heard some rummaging from the other side of the door as he uncomfortably shifted his weight between feet. After about a minute the door slowly opened and Riku saw Sam standing in front of him with reddened eyes. Her hair was messily pulled back into a ponytail and she wore a tight turquoise shirt and black cotton pants that loosely fit her legs. Her expression was hard to read as she stared back at Riku.

With a sniffle she asked in a weak strained voice, "Was there something you wanted?

"I... wanted to make sure you were alright," he admitted before quickly licking his lips from nerves. "And…" his voice trailed off and he inhaled deeply, "I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. It wasn't fair."

She scoffed as she stepped back from the door, allowing him inside. "You weren't wrong. The only thing I'm good for is getting in the way."

"That's not true," he assured her as he awkwardly entered the room while glancing around at the random metal parts and devices already strewn around the room. He cleared his throat and added, "You weren't ready to be thrown into that and I knew you weren't. What I was expecting you to do wasn't physically possible."

"That's not your fault," she sat on the edge of the bed as she pointed out. "DiZ is the one that sent me on the mission, not you. Both you and Hinata objected it." She inhaled sharply and rubbed her eyes with her hand. "I… should have listened to you guys. I'm not cut out for this stuff."

"You're more cut out for it than you think," he told her as he leaned back against the wall across from her.

"About an hour ago you didn't seem to think so," she pointed out.

"Yeah, I know," he looked away. "But I wasn't being fair. Given the circumstances you didn't do a bad job by any means. I was holding you to pretty impossible standards." When Sam only stared down at her hands clasped in her lap, he added, "My point is that you shouldn't give up just yet. You have the talent and you pick things up quick, you just need training and you can get that from me and Hinata."

She reluctantly looked back up at him and sniffled, "You really think so?"

He smirked, "Yeah. It took a lot of guts to sneak out here by yourself, you can't just get up and quit at the first sign of trouble. You have to push through it and in the end you'll be stronger for it."

Sam shook her head as she looked back down and let out a stifled cry. "But what if I shouldn't even be here in the first place? Maybe James was right, I should just go home."

Riku scoffed but didn't reply.

She looked up at him from his reaction and asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing," he shook his head. "But your brother doesn't know the first thing about fighting or what goes on out here."

Sam cracked a small smile and snickered despite the tears still in her voice, "You really don't like him, huh?"

"Would you like a girl constantly trying to talk your boyfriend into dating her?" he retorted.

Her smile grew as she shook her head and laughed a bit louder. "I know, it drives me crazy. He's relentless. I felt so bad for Hinata when she was back at Montresor."

Riku slightly smirked, "Well at least you and I can agree on something."

"Yeah," she chuckled while wiping her cheeks from excess tears. Taking a deep breath she told him, "Thank you… for coming to talk to me."

"Yeah," he replied with a small smile. "You can thank Hinata. She helped me calm down and talked some reason into me."

Sam smirked, "I figured she must have had something to do with it. But still, I appreciate you talking to me." She took a deep breath. "I still need some time to think about everything."

"That's fine," he told her. "I just wanted to make sure I apologized." He rubbed the back of his neck as their conversation reached a lull. Slightly clearing his throat, he pointed his thumb towards the door. "I'll, uh, be down below making some dinner if you need me."

"Alright," she nodded, looking down at her hands in her lap.

As he pulled open the door, he glanced back at her before averting his gaze to the floor. He let out a breath before reluctantly speaking up, "About a year ago I was going through a really hard time," he barely noticed Sam look up at him with a confused expression before continuing, "I was being reckless and making a lot of bad decisions." He licked his lips and took in a breath. "And despite all that, Hinata kept trying to be there for me, but…" he tightened his hand around the knob of the door "...instead I pushed her away." He met his gaze with Sam's, noticing her eyes widened with surprise that he was sharing that with her. He looked back to the floor before telling her, "I was convinced I could make my own decisions and would do what's best, not caring what she thought. I messed a lot of things up. And even though it all worked out between us in the end, I got lucky."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked him.

"Because," he looked up at her, "I don't want you making the same mistake." Sam looked over at her communication device on her desk as Riku confessed, "There's a lot of things I've done that I regret, but pushing everyone that cared about me away will probably be the one I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for." He cleared his throat, "But, um, anyways, I'll leave you alone."

Without waiting for a reply from Sam he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. Sam silently stayed where she was, staring at her communication device across the room. Her cheeks were still covered with dried tears as the corners of her mouth were turned down into a thoughtful frown. After a couple minutes she pushed herself to her feet and walked over to her desk. She slowly sat down in the seat in front of the desk and leaned her arms over the back of the chair. Taking a deep breath she reached forward and flipped a small switch, letting out the familiar trill ring. Her heart rate accelerated with each ring and she lightly bit her lip from nerves.

Within two more rings a blue hologram of Jim flickered on. He was sitting on a tiled roof with one of his legs bent up while his elbow leaned on his knee. A hard to read expression was on his face when he appeared.

A small nervous smile appeared on Sam's face when she saw him and she swallowed hard before speaking up with a soft voice, "Hey."

He strained a smile as he replied, "... Hey"

Sam swallowed hard once again and asked him, "Where are you at?"

"I'm at the Benbo," he told her.

"Ah, on the roof." she realized as he nodded in response before looking away at the view around him.

An awkward silence filled the air as they both seemed to have things heavy on their minds.

Sam downcasted her eyes to the surface of her desk, noticing all the specks of dust that had covered the area. She thought over everything that had happened and spoke up, "Jim, I..." her voice trailed off as she reluctantly raised her eyes to meet his, noticing him looking back at her. "I'm really sorry."

Jim let out a breath as he picked up a small pebble beside him and threw it off the roof. "I'm the one that should be sorry," he told her with aggravation in his voice. "I shouldn't have gotten your brother involved."

"No, Jim, you didn't do anything wrong," she assured him. "The way I snuck away-that was really really dumb of me. I put you in an unfair position. I shouldn't have expected you to lie to my brother about knowing where I was. I should have had the guts to talk with him about it myself." She briefly closed her eyes and shook her head, "This past week I've been…" her voice broke and inhaling sharply she tried again with a cry in her voice. "I've been trying so hard to keep it together and prove that I've got what it takes to be useful, but all I've done is cause problems!" She roughly pushed away a tear falling down her cheek. "I've made everyone upset with me and put their lives in danger, and honestly Jim? I don't have any idea what I'm doing! I was so caught up in getting revenge I-"

"Revenge?" Jim quickly interrupted her, making her look back at him. "Sam, is that why you're out there?"

Sam opened and quickly closed her mouth as she looked away again and closed her eyes, allowing a fresh stream of tears to fall.

"Samantha..." Jim softly said her full name. "I love you, but do you really think that's the best idea?"

She scoffed with a small sniffle, "Earlier today I would have told you it was, but now…" her voice trailed off as she inhaled deeply. "Now I don't know what I think."

Jim stared at her for a moment with a frown on his face. "Sam, you're going through alot right now. Maybe..." he let out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe I should have tried to stop you from going out there. But I sort of know what you're going through." Sam looked up at him as he continued. "With everything that happened over Christmas you were feeling helpless and angry. And the only thing that sounded right to you was doing something seemingly crazy and brash because staying where you were seemed like the worst possible option."

Sam slowly nodded and replied with a quiet voice, "That's exactly how I felt… How did you know?"

"Because that's how I felt after the Benbo Inn burned down," he admitted. "So when you told me you wanted to leave, I didn't think it was right to try to stop you. And," a small grin appeared as he added, "I still think you should be out there."

Her eyes widened. "Y-you do?" she asked completely taken aback.

"Yeah," he let out a short breathy chuckle. "It's helping you, Sam. I might not agree with your reasons for being out there, but if you were back here on Montresor, you'd be miserable. At least out there, you're keeping busy and you're with your best friend-"

"You're my best friend," she interrupted him.

He snickered, "You're mine, too, but you know what I mean. I know whatever happened on that mission today was rough and you feel like you screwed up, but you can't let that stop you. Coming back now would just mean you're giving up and that's not the Sam I know."

Sam's cheeks lightly flushed from his words as a small smile cracked along the corners of her mouth.

"And I know what James said earlier was hard to hear," he added while leaning back against a brick chimney on the roof. "But in all honesty he doesn't really know what he's talking about. Hinata's said that border won't go back up until her friend, Sora, is awake, so you don't need to worry about that."

Sam's smile grew. "I know. I understand him being worried though. I just wish he'd back off a bit sometimes."

"Yeah," Jim chuckled. "He's just worried about you. I'll explain the border thing to him and I'm sure he'll come around."

"Thank you," she told him before taking a deep breath. "So… you really think I should stay?"

"It's like Doc said to my mom when I was about to go searching for Treasure Planet," he told her with a smirk. "All you need is a few months gallivanting through space."

Sam giggled, "Maybe you're right." She sat up a bit more confidently. "I should stay, I will. Riku already said that him and Hinata will keep training me to fight better, so i'm going to stick with it."

"That's my girl," Jim added, making Sam laugh.

"Thank you for understanding," she told him with a smile. "I couldn't ask for a better boyfriend."

"No, you couldn't," he smugly shrugged, making her snicker, before he looked back at her and said, "But, you're welcome. I'll always be here for you."

"I know you will," she assured him. "That's one of the reasons why I love you," her cheeks flushed when the words left her mouth.

Jim smirked at her. "I love you, too."

She stared back at him in silence for a moment with a lovestruck expression on her face before shaking her head and telling him, "I probably should get going. Riku's making dinner downstairs and it's beginning to smell really good."

Jim chuckled, "Alright, promise to call soon though. I want to hear about all of your missions."

"I promise," she assured him. "Talk to you later." She reached forward and flipped the switch, flickering the hologram off, before getting out of her seat and walking out of her room with a smile plain on her face.

The rest of the journey back to Twilight Town passed uneventfully, and by the time Ben called down below that they had reached the planet, the sun was just beginning to set. Sam and Riku hurried up to the deck to watch as they entered the atmosphere. As they neared the mansion they could see Hinata outside with Namine watering the garden. They stopped as they heard the engines of the ship approaching and looked up towards it. Hinata's eyes lit up as she quickly put down the metal watering can in her hands and waved.

"Someone's excited," Sam chuckled as she waved back and nudged Riku with her shoulder.

Riku smirked as he sent a small wave down to Hinata, "Yeah, she was really worried about this mission. She's just glad we're back in one piece."

"Well that makes two of us," she replied as she turned around from the railing of the ship.

She walked to the other side of the deck as Ben landed the ship. As the engines powered down the metal walkway came out of the side of the ship and went down to the grass below. Sam jogged down the walkway and rushed over to Hinata with a smile.

"Welcome back!" Hinata chimed as she rushed forward and gave Sam a tight hug.

Sam chuckled as she hugged her back, "Thanks. I'm glad I made it back."

"Me too," she replied as she pulled back. She looked over her shoulder and spotted Namine waiting patiently a few feet back. Turning Sam around with her, she introduced, "Sam, this is Namine."

Sam looked the petite, frail girl over with a small unsure smile on her face. "Nice to finally meet you."

Namine giggled as she gracefully stepped forward, "I was just about to say the same thing; Hinata speaks highly of you."

"She does, huh?" Sam replied while smirking at Hinata who had already turned her attention away as she noticed Riku coming down the walkway.

"I'll be right back," Hinata told them with a distracted voice as she already began walking away to greet Riku.

Sam shook her head as she and Namine watched Hinata run over to Riku who quickly pulled her in for an embrace. "Those two are certainly something," Sam commented to Namine.

Namine nodded, "Yes, they have a very special bond. One of the strongest I've ever seen."

A small frown appeared on Sam's face before she looked back to Namine and said, "Hey… I know we just met but I have a question." When Namine only looked at her questioningly, she continued, "When Riku and I were at the Organization homeworld I was searching through Vexen's computer data base and I found something about you." She rubbed the back of her neck before telling her, "It was about your power to manipulate memories... Vexen apparently figured out how to replicate it." She noticed Namine's eyes widen. "What exactly does that mean? Like what could he do with that sort of power?"

Namine averted her gaze towards the beds of flowers behind Sam, her expression hard to read as she thought it over. "It really depends on how thoroughly he was able to replicate it. He could be able to force people to think certain ways or he might be able to take someone's mind and completely rewrite everything they think and remember. But… if he was able to fully duplicate my powers…" her voice trailed off.

"What is it?" Sam asked her with worry plain in her voice.

"He could erase people from existence-make everyone forget that person, just like I did with Sora until we can awaken him," she explained with a frown before taking a deep breath and straining a smile. "But even if he was able to replicate it perfectly, there is no way to know his intentions on using it. It is very possible he never got the information to his Replica before he died and it is also possible he just wants the info for science. Still though… I can barely believe he actually managed to replicate my powers. It doesn't seem possible."

"A lot of things don't seem possible," Sam mumbled before turning when the glass door leading into the mansion swung open and DiZ walked out into the garden.

Everyone fell silent and turned to face him, awaiting his instructions.

He barely left the doorway and scanned the area. "Welcome back," he told them with a straight face. "Riku," DiZ looked over at him, "meet in my office to discuss the events of the mission. I wish to hear of your experience with our newest recruit and how you believe she fared."

"Shit…" Sam cursed under her breath, looking away when DiZ glanced over at her.

"And Hinata," DiZ continued, "you can show Sam to her new room."

"Alright," Hinata nodded.

"That is all," DiZ told them as he turned around and headed back inside while sending a side-glance towards Namine with a stern look on his face.

As the door closed behind him, Sam rubbed the back of her neck and walked over to Hinata and Riku. "Well this should be good. He might just send me home after he hears how the mission went."

"I won't let that happen," Riku assured her before walking forward.

Hinata opened her mouth to talk to Sam, but was cut short when Riku reached back and grabbed her hand, tugging her forward to walk along with him. She sent Riku a small smile before looking back at Sam and telling her, "I'll show you your room in a few minutes. You can hang out with Namine until I get back."

"Alright…" Sam softly replied while crossing her arms.

Hinata shivered as she entered the mansion with Riku. As the glass doors closed behind them, she slightly leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked. "You know I can't go into this debriefing with you, right?"

He smirked as he squeezed her hand in his, "Yeah, I just wanted a little bit of time alone with you before I go in."

"Well, you've just been sweet all day today," she told him. "But thanks. I did, too." When he didn't reply she asked, "How did the talk with Sam go?"

"Really well, actually," he admitted with a shrug. "She was doubting herself like I figured she was. But after I apologized, I told her she should stick with it and that you and I would train her to help her get better. And that seemed to help."

Hinata smiled, "I'm proud of you."

He let out a small, breathy laugh. "Thanks."

They reached the top of the stairs to the second level and entered the library. Riku went to walk down the steps in the middle of the library to the room below, but, when Hinata didn't move, Riku looked back at her.

"I think I'll stop here," she told him.

"Alright," he smiled as he walked back towards her. He kissed her temple and told her. "Don't wait up for me; it might be a while."

She smiled back, "Okay." She reached up and grabbed the tassels on his coat, pulling him down to her level before giving him a kiss. "I'll see you later," she told him once she pulled away.

She let go of his tassels before turning around and leaving the library. As she walked through the hall, she glanced out the foggy window and saw Namine and Sam still talking. A small smile appeared on her face before she turned and went down the stairs. They walked inside as Hinata reached the ground floor.

"So can you control anyone's memories?" Sam asked.

"Not exactly," Namine explained, not noticing Hinata standing a few feet away from them. "Only people whose hearts are connected to Sora's."

"Which is apparently a lot of people," Hinata added, startling Namine.

"Oh hey," Sam greeted her. "Namine was just explaining her memory powers."

"I gathered as much," Hinata chuckled as she crossed her arms. "What got you guys talking about that?"

Namine and Sam exchanged glances, before Namine confessed, "While Sam and Riku were on the mission, they found out that Vexen completed his research on replicating my powers."

"He did?" Hinata asked, her smile faded as she slowly uncrossed her arms. "But… even if he perfectly replicated it, he would only be able to affect Sora, right?"

"It's difficult to say for sure," Namine shook her head. "We would have to see the actual research to know what he wanted with it."

"And Riku had me wipe the data base before we left," Sam added with a frown. "So we won't really know."

Hinata let out a breath. "Well that's unsettling. But, he died months ago… If his Replica was planning on using the memory thing for something, wouldn't he have already done it?"

"Unless he's waiting for something," Sam shrugged.

"Or someone," Namine added, causing an uncomfortable aura to rise between them.

After a couple of tense seconds, Hinata cleared her throat. "I'm sure it's fine. We'll cross that bridge if we ever get to it. In the meantime, we should show Sam around the mansion."

Namine forced a smile and went back to her positive, calm demeanor. "Yes you're right. Sam, would you like to see my art room? I can tell you more about my powers there."

Sam strained a simple smile, but her eyes still seemed worried as she nodded.

"I'll meet you guys there, I'm going to go grab a book from my room," Hinata said back to them as she already turned and jogged away.

Within a couple of minutes she was in front of Namine's door, holding the Organization book in her arms. She lightly knocked on the door before opening it, seeing Sam walking around the room looking at each of the pictures on the wall while Namine explained each one. Hinata walked over to the long white table in the center of the room and placed down her book before pulling out a chair and sitting down in front of it.

Sam stopped in front of a scribbled picture of what appeared to be Axel standing beside Roxas. She pointed towards it and asked, "You drew this one, too?"

Namine giggled, "No, actually that one is Hinata's."

"I know, I know, I'm not very good," Hinata spoke up, making Namine laugh quietly. "Honestly, I don't know why you keep it hung up."

"It's a nice memory," Namine told her simply.

"You and Axel are really good friends, huh?" Sam asked Hinata without looking away from the picture as she crossed her arms.

Hinata was silent for a moment before quietly replying, "Yeah. Well, at least we used to be. Now… I'm not so sure."

Sam tightened her hand on her arm while biting her lip as she stared at the picture for a moment longer. Wanting to change the topic, she turned around and let out a breath, smiling and asking, "So… what are you reading?"

Hinata glanced down at her book and opened it to a random page. "A book full of information on the Organization. I thought I could find out some stuff about Roxas and Xion."

"Who?" Sam asked as she walked over to the table and leaned her palms against it.

"Roxas is the thirteenth Member of the Organization," Namine explained, making Sam turned around to look at her. "He is also Sora's Nobody."

"Oh… okay," Sam slowly replied as she took in the information. "And Xion?"

"We're… not entirely sure." Namine admitted as she reached one hand behind her to grab the forearm of the other.

"We know something's up with her," Hinata spoke up, making the girls look over at her. "We just aren't sure what."

"What do you mean you know something's up?" Sam asked. "What's so off about her?"

"It's hard to explain," Namine told her. "She's the fourteenth Member of the Organization and-"

"Wait," Sam abruptly interrupted. "The fourteenth Member in Organization Thirteen? Is she a Replica?"

"Replica?" Hinata repeated glancing over at Namine whose eyes widened in surprise. "Where did that come from?"

Sam pulled herself up to sit on the edge of the table as she explained, "When I was searching that database for information on Kingdom Hearts, I saw an experiment titled '14th Member: Replica.' I mean, I didn't think anything of it at the time, but the title stuck with me for some reason."

Hinata looked back to Namine with an unconvinced expression. "Would they really let a Replica join the Organization?"

Namine put her hand to her chin and began slowly pacing around. "It would depend on her purpose…" she thoughtfully spoke up with a distracted tone. "But," she stopped walking, "it doesn't make any sense. If she is supposed to be a Replica… whose Replica is she? She doesn't look like any of the Members."

"She looks sort of like Kairi," Hinata pointed out. "I mean, her hair is a different color and her eyes more match Sora's but-" Her eyes widened at the realization. "Wait, do you think Xion could be Kairi's Nobody?"

"When Xion first appeared she didn't have a face-it was blank," Namine averted Hinata's question. "She doesn't appear to look like Kairi to everyone."

"Really?" Sam asked before looking down at the table and lightly biting her lip as she thought it over. "What if... the experiment to replicate her wasn't a total success? Something went wrong and it changes the way she looks."

"An imperfect Replica…" Namine quietly spoke.

"That doesn't fully explain whose Replica she's supposed to be, if she even is a Replica," Hinata said as she motioned her hands in front of her. "I'm still not fully convinced of that. It seems a bit far fetched."

"I know she's connected to Sora in some way and she can wield a Keyblade," Namine replied as she walked towards a picture she had drawn of Roxas and Sora beside each other. "Maybe… she was supposed to be a Replica of Roxas…"

A sudden Corridor of Darkness popped up in the room, startling all three of them. They turned towards it and were surprised to see DiZ step out of it. He calmly scanned the room as the Corridor disappeared behind him.

Letting out a disgruntled breath, he looked over to Hinata and spoke up, "Hinata, I distinctly remember telling you to take our newest recruit to her room, and yet I find both of you here."

"I'm the one that wanted to come in here," Sam quickly spoke up as she slid off the table. "I had some questions about Namine's powers."

"I see…" he replied with a frown.

"DiZ," Namine quickly spoke up as she stepped forward, "I believe I know who Xion is and her connection to Roxas."

DiZ turned his attention to her but didn't reply.

"She's a Replica of him," she explained.

"An imperfect one," Sam added.

"How does this aid in awakening Sora?" DiZ simply asked, barely reacting to their news.

"I'm… not sure exactly," Namine admitted, fidgeting her hands in front of her nervously. "That will take some more research. But I am close to something, I can feel it."

"Very well, I want you fully invested in this," DiZ nodded. "Until then you will be forbidden from leaving this room or conversing with the others."

"What?" Sam asked in disbelief. "Are you seriously locking her up until she figures out what's going on? What if she needs our help?"

"Namine is more than capable of handling this on her own," DiZ assured her. "Until then you will be trained in combat as you sorely need."

"That's ridiculous," Sam objected. "You can't keep a person locked up!"

"She is a Nobody," DiZ simply reminded her, keeping his voice level and calm. "She isn't even supposed to exist."

"That doesn't matter," Hinata spoke up as she stood from her seat. "She still functions as a real person and has the same needs. You can't keep her in here."

"It's alright," Namine assured them calmly. "DiZ is right. If I want to fully discover what is happening with Xion, I need to put my all into it."

"You might be able to figure it out faster if we help," Sam pointed out.

"This is not up for discussion," DiZ told her with a stern voice.

Sam scoffed, "Yeah, well maybe it should be. You're ridiculous."

"You may want to consider your tone," DiZ looked over at her with a steady glare. "It was entirely your choice to be here."

"Hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not here for you," Sam sneered as she turned to Namine and asked, "Are you sure you're alright with this?"

"I'll be fine," Namine calmly assured her with a quiet voice. "But, thank you for your concern."

Sam strained a smile and gave her a small nod before turning back to DiZ, "Fine, you win." She looked to Hinata and motioned her head towards the door, "Let's go."

Hinata sighed, "Yeah, alright." She reached down to grab her book off the table but was stopped short.

"Actually," Namine spoke up, making Hinata pause. "Could I possibly keep that book in here? It might help me with Xion."

Hinata smiled, "Sure. I hope it will help."

She turned around and sent a small glare to DiZ before walking out of the room with Sam. Once the door closed behind them, Sam let out a groan.

"Damn, I really hate that guy." Sam rubbed the bridge of her nose. "How do you guys put up with him?"

"In moderation," Hinata replied with equal aggravation in her voice. "I hate the way he treats Namine. He's been trying to make me stop hanging out with her since I got here."

"Why?" Sam asked as they reluctantly began walking away.

"Just because she's a Nobody," Hinata flung her hand in the air. "She's not really a person, just the shadow of one with fake emotions. But… she seems real. I feel a really strong connection with her." She shook her head, "It doesn't make sense to me why DiZ sees her like that."

"I don't know why she doesn't stand up for herself against him," Sam replied while crossing her arms.

"I think part of her believes what he says," Hinata shrugged with a frown. "She doesn't really believe she should exist and she still feels really guilty about everything that happened with Sora."

"That wasn't her fault though, right?" she asked, glancing over at Hinata.

"No, but she is still the reason he's asleep right now and she won't let that go," Hinata explained.

"Hey," Riku got their attention as he walked towards them. He sent them a small wave and smile as they looked up at him. Noticing their tense expressions, his smile immediately vanished. "What happened?"

Hinata sighed, "DiZ put Namine on lockdown. She's not allowed to leave her room and we're not allowed to see her."

"Oh…" he slowly replied with confusion. "That's... a bit extreme. Did something happen that caused it?"

"We might have found something out about Xion," Hinata told him.

"She's an imperfect Replica of Roxas," Sam informed him.

"What?" Riku looked between them, more confused than ever.

"I'm still not sure I fully believe it," Hinata admitted. "But Namine seems to believe it's right. And DiZ wants her to figure it out as soon as possible, so-"

"He put her on lockdown so she can't be distracted," he surmised.

"Yeah, basically," Sam sighed while shaking her head. "He's just so horrible to her."

"Yeah I know," Riku agreed softly. "But we are really behind on waking up Sora, so I understand DiZ's impatience."

"I wouldn't really know about that," Sam admitted, glancing behind her at Namine's door. "But I hope she'll be alright."

"She will," Hinata assured her. "All we can really do is wait it out. I'm sure it won't take her long." As the words left her mouth, her stomach let out a dull rumble and she placed her hand over it with flush cheeks.

Riku chuckled, "In the meantime, let's get you some dinner."

"While you guys do that, I'm going to get some sleep," Sam put up her hands as she moved past them. "I'm sure we have stuff to do tomorrow."

"DiZ wants Hinata and I to train you," Riku told her.

"Figured as much," she sighed while sending them a small wave as she walked down the stairs.

"Wait, do you know where your room is?" Hinata asked her.

Sam stopped mid-step and looked up at them while rubbing the back of her neck, "Oh I was just planning on sleeping in my room on the ship."

Hinata shrugged, "Oh okay, that works."

"See you tomorrow," Sam told her, continuing her walk.

Once the glass door leading outside the mansion closed behind her, Hinata quietly spoke up, "I'm worried about Namine."

"I know," Riku told her while grabbing her hand. "But she'll be fine, I promise. She wouldn't have agreed to the lockdown if she didn't think she could handle it."

He tugged on her hand as he led them down the stairs. Hinata silently walked beside him, her eyes downcast as she thought everything over. She didn't look up until Riku let go of her hand when they had reached the kitchen. He was already at the fridge picking out ingredients as she sat down on the stool in front of the counter island. Hinata propped her head in the palm of her hand as she absently traced the marbled design on the counter's surface.

"So there's something I don't get," Riku spoke up as he began preparing a meal.

"What's that?" Hinata asked, looking up at him.

"What gave you guys the idea that Xion's a Replica?" he asked her.

"Oh apparently Sam saw a research document on Vexen's computer that was titled with something like… '14th Member Replica,' I think it was called," she explained. "And at the time it didn't mean anything to her, but when Namine and I mentioned Xion was the fourteenth Member, she made the connection." She let out a breath, "I don't know though, it doesn't seem real. A Replica in the Organization?"

"There's a lot we don't understand about the Organization," Riku replied as he transferred an array of vegetables and cut up sausage into an already sizzling saucepan. "If Namine believes Xion's a Replica, it's pretty safe to say she's right. I just don't quite understand why the Organization would make her, but Namine will figure it out."

"You have a lot of faith in her," Hinata commented with a small smile.

"Well she's a wonder," Riku admitted. "She's singlehandedly piecing Sora back together and has made everyone forget they ever knew Sora in the first place. That's pretty amazing." He turned around to face her and noticed her smile. "What?"

"I guess I didn't realize how much you actually admired her," she shrugged as her smile grew. "I sort of thought you felt the same way about her as DiZ does."

He scoffed, "No, of course not. I know to keep my distance from her, but she's still a person… somewhat." He turned back around and stirred the food.

Their conversation fell into a doldrum as Riku finished cooking her dinner as Hinata went back to getting lost in her thoughts. Riku, placing a plate of steaming food in front of her, brought her out of her thoughts. She sent him a small thankful smile as he came and sat down beside her.

She took a couple bites before speaking up, "So, how did the talk with DiZ go?"

"Alright," Riku replied as he reached forward and plucked a piece of sausage from her plate before tossing it in his mouth. "I kept out a few details about Sam's attitude and over confidence, but I told him all about that Bane guy."

Hinata slightly smirked at his mention of Sam but then asked, "What did he say about Bane?"

"He said he's heard of him," Riku told her, "He's from another far away galaxy like Sam. But he didn't seem too worried about him. He said as long as you're here, there's no way Bane could find you."

"I'm just surprised the Organization would actually go so far as to hire a Bounty Hunter," she told him as she poked the vegetables on her plate with her fork. "It just seems so unlike them."

"Yeah I know," he agreed. "They didn't seem too happy about it themselves."

Hinata glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "You saw the Organization talking to him?"

"Yeah, Saix, Xigbar, and Xemnas actually," he told her as he spun around on the stool and leaned his back against the counter. "When Sam and I were sneaking to Vexen's lab, we overheard them talking to Bane about the payment and capturing you."

Hinata shook her head and let out a heavy sigh, "Why do they want me? What's the point of going through all this trouble to capture me? It's ridiculous." She put down her fork and planted her face in her hands. "All I've wanted to do was forget the Organization even existed but they won't leave me alone."

"I know," Riku softly ran his hand along her back in comfort. "I don't know why they want you either, but we're going to make sure nothing happens to you."

"Yeah, by keeping me confined here," Hinata pointed out as she looked up from her hands. "I know it's for my safety, but it's only been a week and I am beyond restless."

"I was worried you would be," he told her. "It won't be like this forever, I promise." When she nodded in response he changed the subject, "Now finish your food so we can get some sleep. I'm pretty beat."

Hinata slightly smiled and let out a soft laugh as she nodded, "Alright."

Once she had finished eating and the dishes were cleaned, they made their way to their room. Jack was sleeping on their bed and perked up the moment the door opened. He floated up and bombarded Riku with a doggie snuggle, making him laugh.

"It's good to see you, too, Jack," Riku told him as he scratched him behind his ears.

"I'm going to get changed," Hinata told him as she grabbed some clothes from their dresser and went into the bathroom.

She reemerged a few minutes later, wearing a light green long sleeve shirt and pale yellow cotton pants with pictures of tiny sheep scattered across them. As she put her clothes in a nearby hamper she looked over at the bed, seeing Riku already fast asleep under the fluffy comforter with Jack curled up at the foot of the bed. She smiled at them and looked around the room.

"I'm not tired in the least bit…" she mumbled under her breath.

She walked over to her desk and rummaged through her pile of journals and books, letting out a sigh when nothing caught her interest. Giving another glance to Riku and Jack, she left the room. She walked through the cold dusty hall, running her hands along her arms. As she made it out to the main foyer, she saw beams of moonlight shining through the many windows of the mansion, illuminating the grand room. She slowly walked up the stairs to the second level, running her hand along the railing and then approached the door to Namine's room. As she stood in front of the door she lifted her hand to knock but stopped herself short. Instead she leaned her back against the door and slid to the ground to sit.

"Hinata?" Namine's muffled voice softly came through the door. "Is that you?"

Hinata nodded even though she knew Namine couldn't see her. "Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I couldn't sleep." She felt the door slightly budge with pressure and smiled as she realized Namine was sitting on the opposite side of the door.

"Thank you," Namine replied.

"How did you know it was me? I didn't think I was making that much noise."

"I don't really know how to explain it. I just… knew," Namine replied, "I could feel your presence."

"Hmm, that's a first," Hinata replied with a soft chuckle.

"Are you alright?" Namine asked after a few moments of silence between them.

"I don't know," she admitted while bringing her knees to her chest and resting her chin in between them. "I have this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that something bad is about to happen. I thought I was just worried about Sam being here, but the feeling's only gotten worse even though everything seems to be working out with her being her."

"Do you think you're worried about what the Organization wants with you?" Namine asked.

"Maybe…" Hinata sighed as she leaned her head back against the door. "Riku's certain they'll never be able to get a hold of me, but something tells me they aren't just going to give up and quit looking for me after Sora wakes up."

"I've wondered that as well," she admitted. "But I believe that having Sora awake will help the situation at least. That might allow you to leave the mansion."

Hinata let out a long breath, "Let's just hope I don't have to be stuck here for much longer…" They fell back to silence for a moment before Hinata added, "I'm torn; part of me wants to hide away here to ensure the Organization will never have their way with me, but-"

"The other part of you wants adventure," Namine finished for her.

"Yeah," Hinata agreed with a sigh.

"I'm sure training Sam will help with that," Namine told her.

"I hope so," she replied before following up, "Any progress on Xion?"

"Not yet," Namine confessed with a bit of disappointment in her voice. "I've spent most of the night reading about Xion from that book you lent me. DiZ doesn't have much information on her unfortunately."

"Maybe you should read Vexen's excerpt instead," Hinata suggested. "He's the one that creates Replicas, right?"

There was silence for a moment before Namine replied, "I haven't thought of that. I'll read that tonight."

"Well don't wear yourself too thin," Hinata advised her. "I know DiZ wants everything figured out as soon as possible but you won't be able to focus as well if you're exhausted."

"I'll be alright," Namine softly told her. "But thank you. You've always been kind to me."

"Well, of course; you're my friend," Hinata replied with a smile.

"Hmm," she heard Namine's voice and could have sworn she was smiling.

A couple minutes of silence passed between them before Hinata let out a long breath. "Well… I should probably try getting some sleep."

"Alright," Namine replied with a slight bit of disappointment in her voice. "Thank you for visiting. I know DiZ would not be happy about it."

Hinata scoffed, "Honestly, I almost want to come in to see you just to spite him." Namine giggled in response before Hinata added, "Goodnight, Namine."

"Goodnight, Hinata," Namine replied as Hinata stood up and walked away.


	33. Grounded

Chapter 33

Sweet songs of birds greeted Hinata as she pushed open the glass door leading out to the back garden behind the mansion. The sun was just beginning to rise as warm hues of orange and yellow covered the cloudy sky with few sun rays poking in between the thick trees in the forest around the garden. Hinata ran her hands over her bare arms that were covered with tiny goosebumps as a chilling morning wind brushed past her. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, keeping it out of her face, yet it provided little cover from the breeze.

"I really should have grabbed a jacket," she mumbled as she quickly walked aboard the Highwind.

A comfortable warmth greeted her as she went below deck allowing her to put her hands back down to her sides. She walked up to Sam's bedroom door and lightly knocked, immediately hearing a muffled groan from inside.

"Go back to sleep, Hinata!" Sam grumbled from inside.

Hinata crossed her arms as she reminded her, "You're the one that wanted to make sure we got practice done in the morning."

She heard rustling from inside the room mixed with Sam cursing and complaining under her breath before the door creaked open, revealing Sam glaring at her with tired eyes. Hinata smiled when their eyes met, only making Sam's scowl deepen.

"You do know what time it is… right?" Sam asked her with a borderline growl.

"You used to get up this early to open your shop all the time," Hinata pointed out, not seeing her point.

"Yeah, that was then. There is no reason I need to be getting up at five in the morning to train when we literally have the entire day," she replied while outstretching her arms in annoyance. When Hinata sighed and looked away, she put her hand to her face and asked, "Why have you been getting up so early these past couple days? I thought you liked sleeping in."

"I do," Hinata shrugged. "I just haven't been able to lately."

"How long have you been up?" Sam asked her while rubbing her eyes.

"A couple hours," she admitted.

"A couple- a couple hours!?" Sam whipped her attention to her with widened eyes. "You've been up since three?!"

"Like I said, I haven't been able to sleep in," Hinata admitted with a bit of exasperation. "And when I saw the sun beginning to come up I thought I'd come see if you were ready to get up."

Sam stared at her for a few seconds with her eyebrows knitted together in thought. "Is something going on?"

Hinata shook her head, "I don't know… I'm going a bit crazy." She looked away and laughed bitterly, "It's been what, three weeks since I got grounded to the castle? You and Riku get to go on these trips and missions while I'm stuck here being useless. It's getting to me I guess…"

Sam frowned at Hinata words and looked down at her feet before telling her, "Look, it's like Riku keeps saying: it's for the best." She noticed Hinata slightly scrunch her nose at her words, but continued, "You aren't useless; you've been training me in hand-to-hand every day I'm here."

"Riku could easily be the one doing that," Hinata pointed out, looking back at her.

"And I'm really thankful he isn't," Sam told her with a bit of a chuckle. "I'm not about to let him get that close to me."

Hinata smirked but didn't reply.

"Look, I get that restless feeling," Sam assured her. "How do you think I felt being stuck at the shop for two years? I know it sucks right now, but you're going to get through it. You've just got to tough it out and make the best of it."

"Yeah, I know," Hinata nodded while taking in a deep breath. "I'm not that great at just sucking things up."

"Trust me, I know," Sam teased with a playful smirk, getting a look from Hinata. "When you found out you were stuck on Montressor, you didn't stop trying to get back to your galaxy for even a day no matter how many times James told you to let it go. You're not the type of person to just sit around, but now you're kind of being forced to…" Her voice trailed off as she saw Hinata avert her gaze with a frustrated look in her eyes. Letting out a breath, Sam rubbed the back of her neck and suggested, "Alright, give me a few minutes to change and then we can get to training, but let's do something a little different today."

"Different how?" Hinata asked, glancing back at her.

"Let's fight," Sam shrugged with a bit of smirk. "Like actual fighting where you aren't holding back and giving me tips the whole time."

"I don't know, Sam, I don't want to accidentally hurt you," Hinata looked over at the sparring room across the hall from them.

"You won't," Sam assured her before shrugging again. "Besides, even if you do I'll have Riku patch me up with that freaky magic spell of his." When Hinata still looked unconvinced, Sam nudged her, "Come on, it might be fun!"

"Alright, fine," Hinata chuckled. "But don't say I didn't warn you, alright?"

"Duly noted," Sam half-saluted her before escaping into her room and shutting the door behind her.

She emerged a few minutes later with her sparring outfit on as she pulled back her shoulder length hair into a messy bun. As she entered the sparring room she saw Hinata already inside awaiting her.

Hinata looked over at Sam and commented, "I can't believe how much your hair's grown this past month."

"I know," Sam agreed. "I don't think I've ever had it this long. I don't know what's going on with it."

"It's probably the crystal," Hinata pointed out before tapping the tattoo on her cheek. "Ever since Kida used a crystal to put this tattoo here my hair's been growing like crazy"

"Those are some of the side effects I really should have known about before getting the crystal," Sam told her with a chuckle.

"I wasn't really expecting you to put it in your arm," Hinata shrugged with a smile.

"Fair enough," She sighed as she stopped across from Hinata on the sparring mat. She got into her fighting stance and asked, "You ready?"

"Are you?" Hinata asked in return.

Sam nervously laughed as she shifted her weight between the balls of her feet. She licked her lips from nerves and anticipation waiting for Hinata to strike first, but Hinata only stood her ground. Slightly shaking her head, Sam stepped forward and jabbed her fist towards Hinata's head. Hinata leaned back, dodging the blow and immediately returning her own right hook. Sam gasped and ducked not expecting Hinata's knee to kick her right in the head. With a grunt she stumbled back but shook it off and spun a roundhouse kick. Hinata somersaulted out of reach and sprang back up right behind her, about to elbow her shoulder before Sam turned with it, only allowing her elbow to barely touch her. Sam went for another hit for her head, but Hinata easily blocked it and landed a punch right into Sam's stomach. Sam grimaced and bent forward but aimed for Hinata's leg. Hinata cartwheeled out of the way making Sam hit only air. Sam leaned her hands on knees for a brief moment of respite.

Hinata's chest was heaving as sweat slicked her skin, but a grin was on her face. "Hey, you're holding up pretty good."

Sam only tiredly waved her off in response, trying to regain her lost breath.

"Are you ready for more?" Hinata asked, seemingly high on adrenaline.

Sam glanced over at her but couldn't find any words as she still struggled to breath normally.

"There you are," Riku's voice made Hinata turn around to see him standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a small smirk on his face. "I was wondering where you wandered off to."

Hinata smiled as she got out of her fighting stance and jogged over to him. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep so I woke Sam up and she suggested we fight without holding back."

Riku glanced past Hinata at Sam and joked, "I bet that went well."

"Oh shut up…" Sam finally spoke up. "She still held back…"

"What?" Hinata objected.

"You…" she took a deep breath as she stood back up straight, wobbling for a moment before fully regaining her balance. "You didn't use any of the moves I've seen you use on Riku when you guys fight."

Hinata crossed her arms, "I... didn't have the opportunity to..."

"Whatever," Sam waved her off as she limply walked past them. "I'm thankful you didn't… it's too early for this. I'm goin' back to bed. She's your deal now Riku." Without saying anything more she went into her room and closed the door behind her.

Riku and Hinata were silent once they were alone. They stood beside each other in a semi-awkward silence until Riku finally spoke up.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked coyly, glancing up at him.

He slightly frowned and grabbed her hand. Without saying anything he walked forward, bringing her along with him. He led her up to the deck and down the walkway leading to the garden outside. They slowly walked around the many flower beds, the buds slowly awakening as the rising sun's rays shined over them.

"You've been doing a good job keeping this garden up and running while Namine's been gone," Riku brought up, trying to break the silence.

Hinata slightly smiled, "Thanks. It's something to keep me busy at least."

"How has Namine been doing?" he asked, noticing Hinata whip her attention up to him. "I know you go to talk to her every night."

"Oh…" she realized as she turned her gaze back to the flowers around them. "She's doing alright I guess. She's been getting closer with figuring out what's going on with Xion. She said she's pretty sure she's close to a breakthrough."

Riku nodded, "That's a relief."

"Yeah," Hinata softly agreed. "I just hope it happens soon. I hate that she's stuck in that room all the time. She's got it worse than I do."

"Well, you're both safe-that's the important thing," he replied, noticing how Hinata slightly scowled at his words. "It's for the best."

"Yeah," she shortly replied while letting out a breath. "I"m going to head inside for some breakfast."

She pulled her hand back from his and turned around to head back inside the mansion. Riku frowned as she left but didn't go after her.

The rest of the day went rather uneventfully as they hung around the mansion. Once Sam awoke from her slumber, she completed her daily weapon training with Riku before a short hand-to-hand training session with Hinata. Then Riku and Sam headed out to pick up lunch as Hinata impatiently wandered around the mansion, counting the minutes until they got back. There was an incessant itch in the back of her mind that kept her on edge no matter where she went or what she did. Even after they had returned from their shopping, Hinata couldn't focus on anything they talked with her about or with anything going on.

The evening finally approached and Hinata attempted to head to bed early. She laid on the bed's surface with Jack snuggled on her stomach. She ran her hand along his back as her eyes stared up at the ceiling. Her mind was constantly racing, but she slowly drifted to a light yet restless sleep. She barely noticed as Riku came into the room a few hours later and snuggled in beside her. A couple hours of rest past before Hinata suddenly woke up, unable to fall back asleep.

Thin streaks of moonlight came in from the small window in their room, barely providing enough light for Hinata to see. Her eyes absently followed the long cracks in the room's walls as she began fiddling with Riku's hair that was interlaced with her hand.

He sleepily groaned from her movements and nuzzled into her neck, making her flinch. His eyes slowly fluttered open and he let out a long breath before muttering, "You're tense…"

"Yeah…" she simply replied.

He slightly stirred and tightened his arm around her waist. "...Is everything alright?"

"I'm... restless," she admitted with her voice barely over a whisper. "I've only been stuck here for three weeks and I feel like I'm going insane."

"I know," he replied with a raspy tired voice "But this is for the best-"

"Will you please stop saying that?" she bit in exasperation.

Riku sighed and propped himself up on his side so he could see her face. He couldn't fully make out her expression from the darkness in the room, but could easily sense her anxiety. Using his free hand he pushed some hair out of her face, feeling the frustrated warmth in her cheeks.

"I don't know what you want me to say," he told her calmly. "I know it sucks being stuck here, especially seeing Sam and I being able to leave here whenever we want. But it won't last forever. We'll figure something out."

"But I can't just keep sitting here," she told him while putting her hand over his. "I can handle myself against the Organization. What happened with Axel was a fluke. I took on Demyx and Luxord just fine by myself. And I doubt I'll have much trouble with that Bane guy. I just-"

"Hinata…" he softly said her name, making her look up at him. "I'm not taking that chance. You said yourself that it would be best to stay here." When she averted her gaze from his in response, he asked her, "Are you hungry at all?"

She looked back at him with confusion. "Hungry?" she repeated.

"If you're restless, there isn't really much point to stay in bed," he explained. "Let's go get some food. There's some leftover cookies that you and Sam tried making yesterday."

Hinata scoffed, "You mean those burnt discs that somewhat resemble cookies?"

He softly laughed. "They aren't so bad if you dip them in milk."

She snorted a short laugh, "Yeah, alright." she took a deep breath as she sat up. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

"It's fine," he assured her as he sat up with her. Giving her a short kiss on her cheek, he added, "I get it. You remind me of how I felt back on the island."

"Yeah… I've been wondering if this is how you felt there," she admitted as she slowly got up from the bed. "I don't…" her voice trailed off as she stumbled forward. She caught herself on the edge of the desk and shook her head.

"Hinata?" Riku worriedly asked as he quickly got up from the bed and rushed to her side. "You alright?"

"Something's… wrong…" she slowly replied while tightly closing her eyes and placing one of her hands on her head.

"Let's get you back to bed," he told her.

"Yeah…" she agreed as she slowly turned around, but before she could take a single step she suddenly collapsed, falling to the ground unconscious.

"Hinata!" Riku's voice echoed in her mind as her surroundings melded to black.

Hinata opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by darkness. She slowly stood up and looked around, seeing nothing but dense blackness everywhere she turned. "H-hello?" she called out. "Is anyone there?"

"Hinata…" Namine's voice cut through the darkness, sending a thin pulse of light around her. "Can you hear me?"

"Namine?!" Hinata asked back. "Where are you? What's going on?"

The darkness around her began to ripple and melt away into a bright sunny day, making Hinata momentarily shield her eyes. The sweet familiar scent of flowers reached her senses before her eyes adjusted to the light. Moving her hand away from her face she found herself in the middle of the garden courtyard from her homeworld.

"I'm… home?" Hinata asked completely confused.

"I'm sorry," Namine's voice made Hinata spin around. She saw Namine standing a few feet away from her with her hands clasped in front of her. "I thought you were already asleep."

"Wait, are you actually the one doing this?" Hinata asked walking towards her. "Like you made me pass out and somehow share this dream? You can do that?"

Namine nodded, "I can't do it very often and only with certain people. But… it's important."

"I'm going to need more explanation than that," Hinata told her while looking around the peaceful courtyard. "Like are you in my mind right now? How did you know where I come from?"

"Our hearts are connected right now," Namine attempted to explain. "That's why we're able to communicate."

"But-" Hinata began to say.

"I promise to explain everything in detail at a later time," Namine interrupted. "But for now I must get a message to you."

Hinata slightly frowned but nodded, "Alright, what's going on?"

"I need to speak with Riku," Namine told her. "I tried connecting with him, but I was unable to."

"Why not?" Hinata asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," she admitted. "Perhaps because we are not very close or his heart is closed off to me… It's difficult to say for sure."

"So you tried connecting with me instead and since we're friends it worked," Hinata surmised.

Namine slightly smiled, "Something like that."

"What do you need to talk with him about?" she asked. "Do you need me to relay the message to him?"

"It would be better if I could speak with him in person," Namine explained. "I… figured out exactly who Xion is."

"Oh," Hinata's eyes widened. "Well then let me go tell DiZ! He'll let you out of the lockdown and-"

"I can't tell DiZ, or I mean, I don't want to tell DiZ…" Namine uncharacteristically interrupted her again. "Not yet anyways." She fanned her hands out in front of her with her fingers pressed against each other. "I need to talk it over with Riku first and see if he can handle it his way before DiZ finds out and... " her voice trailed off.

"Messes everything up," Hinata finished for her. When Namine nodded, Hinata said, "Well, alright. I'll tell Riku to come talk to you." She let out a breath and asked, "What exactly is going on with Xion that's got you so worried?"

Namine downcasted her eyes, "She's...a larger problem than we first thought. She's one of the main reasons Sora can't wake up."

"I thought that was Roxas," Hinata replied while crossing her arms.

"It's complicated…" she admitted. "I'll be able to explain it better to Riku."

Hinata frowned, "Alright, I'll tell him to see you right away." She looked her over, noticing the obvious tension. "Are you alright?"

"It's a lot to take in," Namine told her. "And hard to believe." She took a deep breath. "But hopefully it will all be over soon."

"That doesn't really make much sense to me, but I'm always here to talk if you need me," Hinata told her with a small reassuring smile. "Just… maybe don't make me pass out suddenly anymore; I'm pretty sure Riku's freaking out right now."

Namine half-smiled at her words and nodded, "I'll be more careful next time, I promise. I'll send you back now."

"Wait one second," Hinata told her.

She walked forward and pulled Namine into a sudden hug. Namine gasped from the contact and stood stiffly, but slowly relaxed and hugged Hinata back.

"Thank you," Hinata told her before pulling away from the hug.

Namine looked up at her confused. "For what?"

"For everything you're going through for us," she told her. "I don't think we thank you enough."

"I'm happy to," Namine assured her with a smile.

As the words left her mouth their surroundings began to fade away back to nothingness. Within seconds Hinata was back alone in the darkness. Her head began to throb with pain as she could faintly hear Riku's worried voice as he tried calling out to her. His voice gradually grew louder as Hinata began to awaken.

"Hinata, can you hear me?" Riku asked with an almost shaking voice. "Come on, don't do this… You've got to wake up."

"Riku…" she quietly said his name, her voice barely audible. She fluttered her eyes open; her vision was blurred but she could gather that she was back on the bed with Riku knelt beside her.

"There you are," Riku let out a breath of relief as he leaned down and kissed her. "You had me worried for a second there."

She blinked several times until her vision was completely clear and looked up at Riku. He smiled down at her as their gazes met and she slowly smiled back.

"What happened?" he asked her. "Are you alright?"

"It was Namine," she told him, wincing as her head throbbed. "She, uh, connected our hearts or something like that so she could talk to me."

"What?" he asked, "She can do that? But, wait, why did she do that?"

"She found out what's going on with Xion and wants to talk to you about it before going to DiZ," Hinata told him as she slowly sat up. Riku supported her as she added, "She tried connecting with you but it didn't work, so she went to me instead. She thought I was sleeping and didn't mean to, you know, freak you out."

Riku scoffed, "That's putting it lightly. But, alright, I'll go talk to her. Are you alright?"

"Other than this pounding migraine? Yeah, I'm fine." she told him while rubbing her eyes. "How are you going to get into her room? DiZ can sense when you use Corridors, can't he?"

"I'll just get Sam to pick lock the door," he shrugged.

"She won't be too happy you're waking her up," Hinata told him.

"She'll get over it," he smirked before giving her another kiss. "I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're alright. I was beginning to think the Organization did something to you."

"Thankfully not," she replied as he got up from the bed and began dressing himself in his black coat.

"Try to get some rest," he told her, giving her one last kiss on her temple. "I'll be back soon."

"Alright," she slightly smiled at him as he left the room.

She stared at the empty doorway for a moment before slowly lying back down to her back. She tightly shut her eyes and placed her hand along her throbbing forehead. Jack was floating at her side, lightly licking her cheek in worry. With her free hand, she scratched him behind his ears.

"I'm alright, Jack," she assured him with a whisper as he whimpered.

A few minutes passed in silence until there was a light knock on the door and the light in the room flicked on. Hinata removed her hand from her face and glanced over to see Sam standing in the doorway with tired reddened eyes.

"Riku said you passed out," she spoke up to Hinata with a large yawn. "You alright?"

Hinata wordlessly nodded before telling her, "Just a massive headache."

"Ain't that always the way," Sam replied as she entered the room and climbed into the bed beside Hinata. She leaned her back against the wall, her feet barely touching Hinata's legs. "So what's so important that I had to help RIku break into Namine's room?"

"Namine says she knows what's going on with Xion," Hinata informed her.

Sam patted Jack on his head as he floated up to greet her. "Really? Why aren't we waking DiZ up instead?"

"She doesn't want DiZ involved yet," she replied. "At least that's what she told me. I don't have any idea what that could mean though."

"It must be serious if she's actually going against DiZ's lockdown though," Sam crossed her arms and leaned her head back against the wall. "She's like a loyal dog to him."

Hinata slowly nodded as she thought it over. "Yeah… She seemed really stressed when she told me she needed to talk to Riku." She looked up at Sam and added, "She, uh, connected her heart with mine so she could communicate what was going on."

"Oh… That's new," Sam replied.

"Yeah, I know," Hinata softly laughed. "I definitely wasn't expecting it."

Sam smiled but didn't reply right away. They sat in a comfortable silence until she spoke up again, "What do you think's going on?"

Hinata shook her head, "I have no idea… Namine mentioned that Xion's the main reason Sora can't wake up. So I guess that means we'll need to take her and Roxas in."

"Hmm…" she softly hummed in thought. "I guess we'll hear what Riku finds out."

"Yeah…"

"Something wrong?" Sam asked her.

"Something just tells me Riku's going to have to leave to deal with this," she admitted. "Like, for a long time."

"Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions a bit?" Sam chuckled.

Hinata half-smiled but shook her head. "Given our track record? That's usually how these type of things work out."

"Well if he does end up having to leave, I'll keep you company here," Sam assured her. "Just… try not to wake me up at five in the morning to train."

"Deal," she looked up at Sam with a small smirk.

Their conversation was interrupted as Riku suddenly re-entered the room. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his side and his expression hard to read. Hinata quickly sat up and looked him over with a worried expression.

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked him as she got up from the bed.

"We need to talk…" he told her with a low quiet voice. "...Alone."

"I guess... I'll head back to bed then," Sam slowly got up from the bed and cleared her throat. "Fill me in tomorrow?" she asked while looking at Hinata who shortly nodded in response.

Once she closed the door behind her, Hinata looked back to Riku and softly placed her hands along his arm. "Riku… what's going on?"

Without looking over at her, he motioned his hand and surrounded them with a black mist, causing them to disappear from the room. A chilling wind hit Hinata as the mist dissipated and she gasped at the sight. They stood on the roof of the mansion on a thin ledge in front of a tall stained glass window. The full moon shined brightly, cascading its light against the orange and yellow panes of the window. Hinata ran her hands over her chilled arms; despite wearing a long-sleeve pajama shirt, she still shivered from the cold. She looked over and saw Riku already sitting down on the ledge beside her. Ever so slowly and carefully she sat down beside him and glanced at him before staring up at the twinkling stars above them. They were far from the bright town and were able to see the stars shine their light brilliantly.

"Sometimes I come up here to think…" Riku told her.

"You do?" she asked while snuggling into him in attempt to gain his warmth.

He solemnly nodded, "I haven't done it in a while."

"When's the last time you did?" she asked.

"When you were still gone on Montressor," he admitted. "I came here to think about you."

She sweetly smiled and interlocked her arm with his. "Why did you bring me up here now?"

He was silent for a moment before replying, "To talk, but… I need to think first."

Hinata nodded in understanding and leaned her head against his shoulder while staring up at the stars once again. The longer she sat beside him, the warmer she felt as his body heat seeped into her. Closing her eyes, she focused and could faintly hear his heart quickly beating.

He had his hands resting at his chin as he silently stared at the forest surrounding them. In the distance he could see the smoke rising from the chimneys of homes in the town. The higher it rose the more it mixed into the night sky around it. Riku absently watched the billows of smoke fade out of existence as he tried to wrap his mind over everything he had just heard from Namine.

"Riku…?" Hinata softly spoke up after several minutes had passed.

"It's Xion…" he finally began to speak. "I… need to make her go away…"

Hinata moved her head from his shoulder and looked at him confused. "Make her go away? Like… kill her?" When he nodded she asked, "But, why?"

Letting out a long breath, he began to explain, "She's absorbing Sora's memories from Roxas and they're beginning to become a part of her. Without those memories Sora won't be able to wake up and the longer they're inside of her the more muddled up they'll get. The only way to get them back to Sora is to make her go away…" He shook his head with frustration and confessed, "If it was any other Organization member, I would have no problem with it. But, with Xion… I don't know if I can. She looks just like Kairi..." He grabbed a small pebble beside him and threw it out to the forest around them. "Why the hell does everything have to be so complicated?"

Hinata ran her hand along his arm and told him, "There has to be another way."

"But there isn't," he told her shortly while motioning his hand up. "Even Namine said that there wasn't. I don't have a choice; I'm going to have to kill her…"

Hinata frowned and looked out at the forest. "But that sort of thing is going to stick with you. What about when we reunite with Kairi later on? You'll remember what you did to Xion and I know you… you're going to beat yourself up about it."

"What choice do I have?" he asked her with a bitter laugh. "I've already killed enough people to last a lifetime. What's one more, right?"

"No, it's not just 'one more'!" Hinata objected, turning to face him. "You don't have to do this. This is how DiZ would want you to handle it but Namine went to you specifically so we wouldn't handle it his way."

Riku looked back at Hinata's determined expression before glancing away. "Do you have any suggestions?"

Hinata thought about it for a moment as she glanced down at her shaking hands in her lap. "Talk to her…" she told him before looking back up and meeting her gaze with his. "Get Xion alone and tell her what's going on. Let her make the choice to give her memories back to Sora."

"She's not going to just give up her life," he pointed out with frustration.

"You might be surprised," Hinata told him. "From what little I read about her in DiZ's book, she's confused. She's desperate to find out who she is and where she came from. Then you come along with all the answers… She'll want to at least hear what you have to say."

Riku leaned back against the stained glass window behind them and looked up at the stars in thought. "What if she goes back to the Organization and tells them everything I tell her?"

"Then be selective with what you tell her," she suggested while reaching over to grab his hand. "Don't tell her exactly where Sora is, but explain that she has his memories and you can answer different questions she has about him. Give her the chance to make the decision to go to Sora herself."

"It might take a while to gain her trust…" Riku pointed out, still looking at the stars. "If she's even willing to listen."

"It's worth a try at least," she told him. "She doesn't have any control over what's happening to her. She's not like the other Members-we could tell that just from watching her with Roxas and Axel. Killing her isn't the right thing to do… she should willingly give herself…" Hinata's voice suddenly trailed off as she looked away.

Riku glanced down at her from the stars and saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"...Willingly give up her life…" she repeated with a soft, shaking voice. Shaking her head, she confessed, "I can't believe I'm talking so lightly about sacrificing someone…"

Riku squeezed her hand, "We don't have a choice… Without her and Roxas, Sora will never wake up."

"Are we going to have to end up killing Roxas, too?" she asked as a glistening tear fell down her cheek.

"I don't know…" he admitted while running his thumb along her hand. "We're just going to focus on Xion right now…"

"Are we on the right side?" she asked him with a trembling voice.

Riku stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I'm sure of it."

"It doesn't feel like it right now," she admitted while shaking her head. "Being forced to kill innocent people doesn't really seem like the right thing to do."

"I know…" he agreed with her. "But we're waking up Sora… that's the best thing we can do right now." When she didn't reply, he leaned forward and met her lips with his, giving her a slow and sweet kiss. When he pulled away he whispered, "I need to get going."

She quickly shook her head and cried, "I don't want you to go."

"I know, I don't either," he leaned his forehead against hers, feeling his own heart twist.

"This isn't fair…" she weakly sobbed. "You shouldn't have to be the one to do this…"

"I can handle it," he told her as he pulled away enough so he could see her face,

"How long will you be gone?" she asked with tears in her voice.

"I don't know…" he admitted, frowning as Hinata averted her gaze as more tears fell down her cheeks. "I'm going to try what you suggested though; I'm going to talk to her."

"Thank you…" she replied with a hoarse whisper as she wiped away her tears. Taking a deep breath she attempted to regain her composure. "Be careful out there… I wish I could go with you." She looked back at him, desperately trying to keep herself from crying again.

"I wish you could, too," he agreed with a small smile as he brought his hands to the sides of her face. He looked into her tear filled eyes before meeting their lips together.

She kissed him back, releasing all of her emotions as she lightly grabbed his jacket and pulled him closer. The moment they broke their lock, a black mist surrounded them once again. When it disappeared, Hinata found herself back in her room on top of her bed, completely alone.

With no one there to witness, Hinata brought her knees to her chest and allowed her emotions to pour out. She sobbed until there was nothing left, releasing everything that had been bottled up inside of her. Once her last few tears had been spent and her throat was dry, exhaustion finally got the best of her. And without lying back down, she fell asleep with her head resting between her knees.

Soft sunlight shined into the room through the small window, the warmth stirring Hinata awake. She slowly lifted her head, wincing as her neck muscles twanged from her unnatural sleeping position. In silence, she scanned the empty room remembering everything that had transpired the night before. A lump formed in her already sore strained throat but shaking her head she swallowed hard, forcing it back down. Taking a deep breath, she stood up from the bed.

She went out to the main foyer of the mansion, hearing her soft footsteps echo around her. Glancing out the back glass doors leading to the garden, she raised an eyebrow as she spotted Namine walking around the flower beds. A small smile pulled at the corner of Hinata's mouth as she turned and walked back to the hall until she reached the kitchen. She got a pot of coffee brewing and pulled out a couple white mugs from the cupboard. The warm scent of fresh coffee filled the kitchen as Hinata poured the steaming liquid into the cups. She went to the fridge and, as she opened it, she noticed a pale yellow piece of paper stuck to one of the shelves.

Raising an eyebrow she grabbed the paper and slightly smiled when she saw Riku's handwriting on it, reminding himself to pick up certain ingredients the next time he went shopping. Hinata softly ran her finger over his writing before placing it back inside the fridge and grabbing the creamer.

Once the cups of coffee were prepared, she carefully grabbed them and brought them back out to the foyer. Using her back, she pushed open the glass door leading outside, shivering as a gust of cold wind rushed into her.

"Good morning," she called out, startling Namine as she was admiring a sunflower.

Namine spun around and immediately let out a breath of relief when she saw Hinata. "Good morning," she greeted softly in return. "I'm surprised to see you up this early."

Hinata smiled as she held out a cup of coffee to Namine, which she took gratefully. "Yeah, I haven't been able to sleep well lately."

Namine nodded as she took a small sip of her drink, closing her eyes as she felt its warmth spread through her. "It's been too long since I've had coffee," she admitted, making Hinata chuckle.

"I know. Honestly I don't know what you ate and drank locked up in your room all the time," Hinata told her as she, too, took a drink.

"I don't actually need much food," Namine informed her a bit solemnly. "As a Nobody I don't need the same nourishment as a normal person would."

"Really?" Hinata repeated, looking up at her. "That's… surprising actually."

They fell to a comfortable silence as they continued to drink their coffee and admire the flowers around them.

After a couple minutes Hinata spoke up again, "Why are you out here? I mean, I'm happy you are, but why are you just now coming out of your room?"

"I'm not sure," she replied honestly, staring down at the steaming brown liquid in her cup. "I suppose I feel like I finished my mission, so I shouldn't have to stay locked away."

Hinata half-smiled and told her, "I think it's great. It was honestly wrong of DiZ to lock you up in the first place."

"I wanted to apologize," Namine suddenly changed the subject as she turned to face Hinata.

"For what?" She asked her confused.

"For what I'm making Riku do," she averted her downcast gaze. "I… wish there was another way. I just don't see one."

Hinata walked forward and placed her hand along Namine's arm. "It's not your fault," she assured her, waiting until Namine met her gaze before continuing. "You're doing the best you can. And Riku is going to talk with Xion to see if she'll come here on her own accord rather than having to… you know." She cleared her throat as a fit of emotions suddenly rose up, but she shoved it away. "It's still not ideal, but… it's better than the alternative."

"I agree," Namine nodded, giving Hinata a thankful smile. "I have a feeling you're the one that came up with the idea."

"I might have had something to do with it," Hinata smirked, trying to remain positive.

"Well thank you," Namine placed her hand over Hinata's. "I hated asking Riku to go after Xion. She doesn't deserve it."

"I know," Hinata's smirk slowly faded. "You don't deserve what's happening with you either. A lot of people seem to be getting the short end of the stick lately."

Namine slowly nodded and turned back towards the flowers before asking, "How about you? How are you doing?"

Hinata scoffed as she reached towards a pink flower and gently ran her fingertips along its petals. "Honestly… I'm barely holding it together." She frowned as one of the petals fell into her hand. Rubbing it in between her fingers she added, "I feel so helpless right now, and I hate it."

"I understand the feeling," Namine softly replied. "But it isn't your fault. Hopefully everything will be over soon and things can get better."

"Yeah… hopefully," she whispered in response.

"Oh, hey, Namine," Sam's voice caught their attention. Spinning around they saw her walking down from the deck of the ship, wearing an ill-fitted green t-shirt and plaid yellow pajama pants. She yawned as she approached them. "Finally got sick of being locked up, huh?"

Namine smiled as she clasped her hands around the mug in front of her, "Something like that."

"And I heard you figured out what was going on with Xion," she recalled as she crossed her arms.

"Yes, I did," Namine nodded.

"Riku left to go deal with it," Hinata spoke up, causing Sam to look over at her.

"Oh…" she realized as she downcasted her eyes for a moment. "So you were right after all." When Hinata only nodded in response, she asked, "How long will he be gone?"

"I'm not sure," Hinata replied honestly without making eye contact. She uncomfortably strummed her fingers around her coffee mug. "It could be a while."

Sam's frown deepened at Hinata's response and asked, "What exactly is going on with Xion?"

Namine opened her mouth to reply but gasped when she saw the glass door leading into the mansion swing open. DiZ walked out into the garden and stopped short when he saw Namine standing beside Hinata and Sam.

"Namine…" he said her name before clearing his throat. "I am surprised to find you out here. I do not recall allowing you to leave your room."

"I'll head back," Namine almost squeaked as she carefully handed Hinata her empty mug and scurried back into the house.

Hinata sighed as Namine left. "Do you really have to bully her like that?"

Ignoring Hinata's words, DiZ looked beside her. "Sam, I need to speak with you. Meet me in five minutes."

Sam shortly nodded in response before DiZ turned around and headed back inside.

"He's been getting worse lately," Hinata commented after the door had closed behind DiZ.

"Maybe he's getting anxious about the Organization," Sam suggested, staring at the door with distaste.

"Maybe…" she repeated with a frown. Letting out a sigh she told her, "Well, have a good meeting with him. I'm going to go up to Namine's room to hang out with her more."

"What about the lockdown?" Sam asked as Hinata already turned to walk away.

"She figured out what's going on with Xion; I'd say mission accomplished," Hinata shrugged.

Sam smirked and turned around to head back onto the ship so she could change out of her pajamas. As she came down the stairs below deck, she saw Ben lounging on the couch with a book while Jack floated around him.

"Ah, good morning, Sam!" Ben greeted as he sat up and tossed the book beside him. "What fun things do you have planned for today? Another life or death mission or visiting a new world?"

Sam chuckled, "Good morning, Ben. And I'm not sure yet. Probably not since Riku's gone."

Ben let out a long wistful sigh as he fell back on the couch and allowed his long metal arms to drape off the sides. "Yet another day being stuck here…"

Sam paused before she reached her bedroom door and glanced over at Ben with a raised eyebrow. "Weren't you stranded on Treasure Planet for 100 years?"

"Well yes, but at least there I had an entire planet to explore!" he reminded her with another pathetic sigh. "Here there is hardly anything to do!"

"You should talk to Hinata, she feels the same way," Sam rolled her eyes. "Maybe you two could complain about it together."

As Ben let out yet another sigh, Sam went into her room. After closing the door behind her, she immediately took off her poorly fitted pajama clothes and put on a light blue cropped top that exposed most of her midriff and cargo shorts. She spotted her reflection in a nearby mirror and slightly frowned at the sight. It was an outfit she used to wear regularly at the shop back on Montressor, yet looking at it she felt nothing but distaste. Shaking her head, she let out a sigh and took off the outfit, resigning to a simple outfit of an olive green long sleeve shirt that covered most of her mechanic arm, yet allowed a dull glow of the crystal through the fabric, and black jeans. Allowing her shoulder length hair to fall freely, she reemerged from her room and hurried off the ship so she could meet with DiZ on time.

She reached the library and straightened her clothes before pressing the large button beside the door so it would slide open. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden darkness in DiZ's room. The soft blue glow from the multiple computer monitors barely illuminated the large metal room. Sam walked in, hearing the door slide closed behind her, and stood in the center of the room. She silently watching DiZ as he typed away, barely acknowledging her entry.

She stood there for a couple minutes, fiddling her fingers and scuffing her shoe against the metal floor. Eventually she examined the monitor screens, surprised to see them displaying what appeared to be different areas around Twilight Town.

"Are… you spying on people?" she asked with a bit of hesitation in her voice.

DiZ paused his typing before letting out a deep chuckle, "Would you be surprised if I were?"

"Not really, I guess," she scratched the side of her head with an uncomfortable expression. "But, it's still pretty creepy."

"Well rest assured that is not what I am doing," he told her as he spun his chair around to face her. "It is a synthetic Twilight Town; it appears to be the town outside our walls, but in reality it is a complete fabrication."

"O-kay…" Sam slowly answered with a drawn out voice. "Did you just make a copy of the town for fun? Or is there an actual reason behind it?"

"The time for awakening Sora is nearing closer as we speak," he told her as he turned back around to face his computer screens. "Or I would assume so, given Riku's sudden disappearance last night and that witch's defiance."

"Witch…?" Sam repeated quietly, clenching her hands into fists. "You know, you've got a lot of nerve-"

"I will not inquire about the details," he blatantly interrupted her. "I do not know what it is all of you are conspiring, but if it leads to Xion's or Roxas' capture, I dare not interfere as of yet."

Sam bit her tongue as she tightened her fists. Shaking her head, she asked, "Alright, fine. What did you want?"

"This synthetic replica of the town is devoid of people," he told her. "It is imperative we make it a believable world, so I need you to explore the town and interact with its people."

Sam crossed her arms and leaned her weight on her left leg. "You want me to go out and just talk to random people?"

"Precisely," he nodded.

"Why?" she asked. "You never told me what this fake town is for anyway."

"You are correct, I did not," he simply replied with a smirk obvious in his voice even though she couldn't see his expression.

"You're an ass sometimes," Sam muttered while shaking her head with annoyance and rolling her eyes. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she asked, "What exactly am I looking for with these people? Am I supposed to ask certain things or what?"

"Whatever catches your eye will suffice," he explained. "We simply need believable townspeople to make up the synthetic town."

Sam took a deep breath and rubbed the back of her head, "Alright, I guess I'll see what I can find. No promises though; I'm not exactly a people person. Hinata's the one for this job."

"If she were not confined to this mansion she would have been the person for the job," he corrected her. "However, given the circumstance, you are the only choice remaining."

"Lucky me," she sarcastically remarked.

"Before you leave, take this with you," he held up a simple black bracelet.

Sam walked forward and reluctantly took it. It was made of a thick fabric, braided together with a single white bead connecting the ends together. "What is this thing?" she asked him as she examined it.

"It is of Hinata's making," he explained. "It has similar qualities of the Organization cloaks."

"Oh, so it has that perception filter thing in it?" Sam clarified.

"Precisely," DiZ nodded. "Wearing it will shield your heart from the Organization, but allow other people to easily see you."

She put her hand through it, allowing it to hang loosely around her thin right wrist.

She admired the way it looked for a moment before telling DiZ, "Alright, I'll be back I guess."

"Indeed you will," he simply replied as he went back to working on his computers.

Sam walked out of the dark room, hearing the metal door slide closed behind her. She looked at the bracelet as she walked out of the library and made her way out to the foyer. As she came out, she heard footsteps and glanced up to see Hinata approaching.

"How did the talk with DiZ go?" she asked Sam.

"Weird," Sam admitted while motioning her head towards the front double doors. "He wants me to explore Twilight Town and find people to fill his phony town with."

Hinata's eyebrows knitted together in complete confusion. "Uh, what?"

"Yeah that's about how I feel about it," Sam chuckled before giving her a small wave. "But, a mission is a mission, so I'll be back."

"Have fun, I guess," Hinata strained a smile as she watched Sam walk down the steps and leave the mansion entirely.


	34. New Friends

Chapter 34

***Recap: Namine discovered the true meaning behind Xion's existence and Riku left to deal with the situation. Everything happened without DiZ's knowledge, yet he knows something is amiss. The morning after Riku's leave, DiZ calls Sam to his office and reveals his synthetic Twilight Town to her, still devoid of people. He sends her out to the streets of Twilight Town to observe the people and lifestyle to fill his synthetic town only giving her a small black bracelet to take along with her. ***

Sam closed her eyes as the sun peeked out from the clouds and warmed her skin. She went forward, pushing open the black creaking gate that blocked the entrance of the mansion from outsiders and make sure to lock it behind her. The leaves of the towering trees rustled around her from the wind as she walked through the thick forest. She looked up at the treetops, seeing thin beams of light sneaking through the leafy veil.

Soon she reached the outer brick wall of the town. Crouching down, she went through the gaping hole in the bottom of the brick and entered the town. She dusted herself off as she stood back up straight and looked around the golden town. Even though the mansion was only a few hundred feet away, it seemed like she was on a completely different world. Tall brick buildings with chimney smoke climbing into the sky was laid out before her. A bell chimed as a trolley drove past her on a long trail that wove through the entirety of the town. Various people bustled through the streets, paying little mind to Sam even though she had just crawled through a small hole in the wall.

Sam scanned the area with her arms crossed, trying to spot someone or something that would catch her eye. Letting out a sigh, she mumbled, "This isn't going to be as easy as I thought."

Putting her arms back down at her side, she began walking through the town, stopping at various shops, mostly to speak with the owners to get ideas of what they sold. Eventually she got to the outskirts of the shopping center and was walking through a brick alleyway. Trash and random sticks were strewn around the edges of the walls and Sam kicked a small pebble in her path as she approached a large lot. A tan stone floor with random wooden benches surrounded a rectangular lot filled with sand. Along the brick walls around the area were various posters describing an upcoming event.

Sam walked over to one of the posters and observed the dark blue with large white letters across the top of it reading, 'Struggle!'. In the center was an outline of what Sam assumed was an edgeless rounded sword in a bright blue color and random orbs of various colors.

"Struggle tournament…" she read the words aloud and crossed her arms. "I wonder what that is."

"Hey," a male voice called behind her, "where'd you come from?"

Sam spun around to see a group of three teens standing a few feet away from her: a confident teen male in the front and a guy and girl slightly behind him at his sides. Sam crossed her arms as she examined the strangers. The teen up front stared back at her through his narrowed blue eyes, his toned arms crossed in the same fashion as her. A black, wool beanie covered a majority of his dirty blonde hair and a thin scar came out the front of it, going between his eyes to his right cheek, and pointing straight towards a smirk that oozed an air of arrogance. He looked over Sam, giving her a complete up and down gaze.

Sam scowled, "A little obvious with the ogling, don't you think?"

His eyes shot back up to hers and he flashed her a cocky grin. With a shrug he remarked, "It's not everyday I see a girl like you around here." When Sam only stared at him unamused, he told her, "The name's Seifer."

"Good for you," she replied, barely blinking.

Seifer chuckled and motioned towards her, "And you are?"

"Obviously not as interested as you," she rolled her eyes as she turned to walk away.

"That was low, ya'know?" the other boy in the group spoke up with a loud voice.

She glanced over her shoulder at the other boy. His skin was much darker than Seifer's and his entire build more muscular. A thick silver chained necklace with a garish lightning bolt charm hung around his neck above his skin tight orange tanktop. He stepped towards Sam with a deep furrowed frown, but Seifer put his arm in front of him, making him come to a sudden stop.

"What, are you here to pick a fight or something?" Seifer called after Sam, keeping his arm raised.

Sam laughed a bit mockingly as she fully turned back towards them and began walking backwards, returning the cocky grin he sent her earlier. "Please, I only fight people worth my time. But if you're really eager to get your ass kicked, I could make an exception."

Seifer smirked as his eyes were lit with a fire. Reaching his hand out to his side, the girl on the other side of him placed a plastic, blue sword in his hand. She was thin and slender, similar to Sam's build with choppy, light-periwinkle hair that reached to her chin. Only one of her red eyes were visible, the other hidden by her bangs, but kept a direct glare at Sam while she placed the blade in Seifer's hand.

"I think it's time I show you how to act in my town." Seifer hit the blade in his open hand.

"Your town?" Sam repeated amused as she stopped walking and pulled out her staff from her side leather sheath.

"Nu-uh," Seifer shook his head and tossed her the toy-like sword. As she caught it, he told her, "Only these allowed."

"Plastic swords?" Sam asked in distaste as she placed her staff back in her sheath. As she walked forward she mumbled, "I sure hope this is the type of thing DiZ was wanting. This dumbo would definitely make his phony town believable… or annoying." She spun the blade in her hand, trying to get a feel for its plump yellow handle.

Seifer sauntered towards the sandlot as his lackeys waited along the side lines.

"I don't know who you are, but you don't stand a chance against Seifer, ya'know?" the boy called out to Sam, again in his loud tone.

"Instant annihilation," the girl added with a straight deadpan expression. Her one visible red eye continued to stare as Sam joined Seifer on the sandlot.

"You three are certainly an interesting bunch," Sam commented as she got into a fighting stance a few feet away from him, keeping her sword held out at her side.

"You're one to talk," Seifer retorted, holding out his blade in front of him, pointing it right at Sam.

He jumped forward, immediately slashing the blade down over his head. Sam hopped back and did a swing of her own, matching her weapon with his, making him bounce back. As he stumbled backwards in surprise as Sam took the opportunity and hit her sword against his leg. She stifled laugh from the hollow sound the plastic made, knowing it left little more that a tiny bruise if anything at all.

She took a few steps back from him as he got back up to his feet. "So, how does this go?" she asked. "I keep hitting you until you pass out or what?"

"What, getting tired already?" he goaded.

She rolled her eyes, "This is pointless! If you want to fight, use actual weapons-not these plastic toys."

"That's not how it works, ya'know!" the boy from the sidelines yelled out.

Sam slightly frowned at the boy and looked back at Seifer, "What are their names?"

He arched an eyebrow at her question and rebounded, "What's yours?"

Letting out a long breath, she resigned, "Sam."

"See, that wasn't that hard," Seifer smirked.

"What are their names?" she asked him again with a bit of exasperated breath.

"Rai and Fuu," he told her. Holding out his arms wide-open in an overconfident pose, he asked, "Now are you done stalling?"

"I'm done fighting," she corrected him as she tossed her blade on the ground, hearing it let out a hollow sound as it hit the sand. "I got what I came for."

She turned to leave but Seifer blocked her way, "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked her with a straight face.

"Nothing," she looked back at him with an unreadable expression and shrugged, "I'm just saying I'm done."

"But I'm not," he retorted.

"That's nice," she simply smiled and put her hand on his arm, pushing him aside.

"Messing with the locals again, Seifer?" Another boy's voice caught their attention and Sam noticed Seifer let out an audible groan in response.

Sam turned around to see another trio of two boys and a girl walking towards them. They appeared to be a couple years younger than Seifer's gang. The boy in front had wavy, dirty blonde hair that was gelled up above his head. He smirked at Seifer with large brown eyes and crossed his thin arms over his tan cropped vest and black tank top. Not far behind him was a plump boy with black hair sticking straight up with a black and white cloth headband, and a slender girl with wavy brown hair and large green eyes.

"Isn't it a little early for Twilight Town's Disciplinary Committee to be causing trouble?" the boy with the black hair spoke up.

"Is that what you guys call yourself?" Sam snickered to Seifer as he only growled in response.

"Hey, losers," Seifer turned to them, "I thought I told you not to come by here again?" He crossed his arms and smirked devilishly, "Unless you're already eager for me to beat your sorry butts again. Then I suppose I could make an exception."

"Really creative," Sam muttered sarcastically only loud enough for him to hear. "Using the same comeback I said to you five minutes ago."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" he asked her with glare.

"Thanks for the reminder," she flashed him a fake smile. "I'll leave the"-she lifted her hands to air quote-"Disciplinary Committee, to their daily duties." Ignoring Seifer's glare, she sent him a small wave as she turned away. She glanced over at the other trio, wondering a bit about them, but pushed the thought away as she left the sandlot to explore the rest of the town.

As she came back out to the main town she let out a long breath and placed her hands along her hips. She looked up at the orange-tinted clouds scattered across the sky, spotting a few birds flying past. A sudden vibration on her wrist yanked her from her daydreams and she looked down in surprise, seeing the white bead on the bracelet DiZ had given her glowing and vibrating. Hesitantly, she placed her finger on the bead feeling a sudden surge go through her fingertip to her head the moment it made contact.

"What was that?" she asked with a raised voice, holding her hand out in front of her.

"Sam, can you hear me?" DiZ's voice rang in her right ear, making her yelp.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed as she placed her hand over her ear, immediately noticing the wary stares of passerbyers. She flashed an awkward smile and waved at them as they hurried their paces away from her. Rolling her eyes, she quickly moved towards a set of shops, positioning herself behind them so she would be out of view. With a hushed voice, she asked again, "DiZ… What the hell?"

He let out a deep chuckle that rumbled in Sam's ear, making her rub her ear with her hand, as if trying to tune him out. "I needed to communicate with you discreetly," he began to explain.

"Thanks a ton for the heads up," she remarked sarcastically, her voice still hushed. "You do realize we have little communication devices we already use just fine, right?"

"Yes, however, with those devices I would not be able to talk with you throughout your mission," he replied. "I was planning on simply watching your progress through the camera installed in your bracelet-"

"What?" she interrupted him, holding up her bracelet and staring at the white bead that connected the ends of the black braided fabric. "You seriously have a camera in this thing?"

"More of a holographic projector," he told her. "With it, I am able to see what you see and everything around you."

"So-like a videogame or something, and I'm the character?" she asked, trying to wrap her mind around what he was saying.

He was silent for a moment as if thinking it over. "I suppose it could be referred to as that," he concurred.

Sam leaned back against the worn wooden wall of the store behind her as she let out a breath. "Well, alright, Mr. Creepy... What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Those teens you encountered in the sandlot were an intriguing bunch," he told her.

She scoffed, "Yeah, I know. That's why I went along with their stupid plastic sword fight."

"Indeed," he replied with amusement in his voice, "They will work well for the synthetic town, as would the other group that arrived shortly before you left."

"So, basically you're trying to say you want me to go back to them?" she assumed.

"Precisely."

Letting out a sigh, she pushed herself off the wall. "Alright, fine. Are you going to be talking in my ear the whole time?"

"Only when I feel like my interference will be useful."

"Which means what exactly?" she rolled her eyes. "Can you just be frank for once in your life?"

"I will only talk when I need you to do something or to make a correction," he tried again. "Is that clear?"

"Yeah, I get it," she replied with a sigh. "Alright then, here I go."

She peered around the corner before fully coming back out to the town. As she walked out in front of the item shop she had been hiding behind, she placed her hands on her hips and let out a long wistful sigh before feeling a sudden tap on her shoulder. Spinning around, she saw the exact trio DiZ was sending her out to find.

The girl of the group stood up front, her big green eyes looking Sam over. Just looking at her, Sam could sense a warmth and kind glow. The girl had her hands clasped in front of her as she smiled up at Sam. "Sorry to bother you," she spoke up with a sweet voice. "We just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Sam instantly smiled back at her before glancing at the two boys not far behind her. The blonde boy that had stood up to Seifer at the sandlot had a straight almost unreadable expression as he stared at Sam with his round brown eyes that gave away his wariness of her. Beside him was the black-haired boy. His kind eyes matched the girl's as he awaited Sam's answer.

With a small shrug, Sam replied a bit awkwardly, "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Seifer was more annoying than anything, but, uh, thanks." She rubbed the back of her neck with her left hand.

"You seemed like you had it sorted," the black-haired boy said as he stepped forward to be beside the girl. "We just wanted to make sure." He grinned and laced his hands behind his head. "I'm Pence by the way."

"And I'm Olette," the girl shortly waved before tugging at a few strands of her wavy brown hair and glancing over her shoulder at her other friend.

The blonde caught her gaze and looked between her and Sam before letting out a breath, quietly saying, "Hayner…"

"I'm Sam," she told all of them, giving a small wave in return. "Nice to meet you guys."

"You aren't from around here, are you?" Pence inquired, looking her over with his hand to his chin.

"Not exactly," Sam breathily laughed. "Just exploring the town a bit."

"That's nice!" Olette chimed, "Have you found anything you like?"

Sam opened her mouth to reply, but Hayner cut in curtly, "What were you doing with Seifer and his gang?"

The others whipped their attention to him while his gaze remained fixated on Sam.

"Hayner," Olette scolded with a whisper.

"It's fine," Sam assured her as she crossed her arms and stared back at Hayner with the same expression he was sending her. "Nothing important. I happened to end up in that sandlot and he started talking to me. He challenged me to some stupid fight with those plastic swords and I played a long for a bit, but got bored and tried to leave; that's when you guys showed up."

"He challenged you to a Struggle match?" Pence asked.

"Was that what that was supposed to be?" Sam looked over at him with a bit of a distasteful expression. "You hit each other with plastic toys?"

"It's harder than it looks," Hayner ensured her, still keeping his gaze on her.

"If you say so," Sam chuckled.

"So where are you headed now?" Olette asked her, changing the subject. "We were going to head to Sunset Terrace to do some shopping if you'd like to come along!"

Sam averted her gaze to Olette. "You guys wouldn't mind if I tagged along?"

"Not at all!" Olette assured her with a chuckle, "It will be nice to have a girl along since these guys complain I drag them with me."

"Plus," Pence pointed upwards, "we know all the best spots, so we can give you the grand tour!"

Sam looked between them, casting a small glance towards Hayner, who still had a frown on his face. "Alright, sure," she strained a smile and shrugged, "Why not?""

"Great," Olette chimed, as she linked her hands behind her and walked forward, leading the way.

Pence quickly followed after her, leaving Sam and Hayner alone for a moment. Hayner simply looked up at Sam before letting out a breath and going after his friends. Sam turned and watched him walk away.

"What's his problem?" she mumbled under her breath.

"He appears to be wary of you," DiZ's voice echoed in her ear. "Perhaps your mechanical counterpart is off putting to him."

"Counterpart…?" she repeated with a whisper. "You mean my arm? I'm wearing a longsleeve shirt to cover it."

"I doubt the thin fabric completely conceals the crystal's glow," he pointed out.

Sam held out her left arm in view, seeing a dulled blue light seeping through the green fabric of her shirt. Letting out a sigh, she admitted, "I guess that does look a bit weird."

"Did you say something?" Pence called to Sam as they walked a few feet ahead.

"Oh-uh, nothing," Sam called back, before jogging forward to meet their pace.

They exchanged small talk as they walked through the main market, going passed the multitude of shops towards a steep bricked hill. As they went up, the three friends' breaths became shallow while Sam walked ahead of them without breaking a sweat. They came up to the top of the hill and approached a large stone courtyard where the Central Train Station resided. The station building was wide and tall, with an ornate clock tower reaching high into the sky with two golden bells, one on either side. Sam looked up at the tower, recalling Hinata informing her that Axel would often spend his evenings up on the top of it with Roxas and Xion. The thought of it made her frown as she turned away and walked towards the stone fence around the edge of the plaza. Beyond it was the entire town below, surrounded by rolling grassy hills with bright green grass, that almost seemed to glow from the sunlight.

"Have you ever been up here?" Olette asked as she came up beside Sam and leaned her arms on the top of the fence.

"No, actually," Sam answered honestly. "I've only been around the market streets." She glanced over her shoulder, seeing that both Pence and Hayner were gone.

"The boys went inside to get the tickets," Olette informed her, already knowing what Sam was thinking. As Sam turned back around to gaze at the breathtaking view, Olette let out a small sigh and stared down at her fidgeting hands. "I… hope you don't mind Hayner. He can take a bit to trust people, especially if they are with Seifer's gang."

"It's fine," Sam shook her head dismissively. "I get it. I just appreciate you guys being willing to show me around."

"Of course!" Olette smiled at her. "We don't get a lot of visitors in this town, so we want to make sure you feel welcomed."

Sam softly chuckled as she smiled.

"When will you be starting classes?" Olette asked her, causing Sam to immediately look over. "You'll be in the same grade as us, right?"

Letting out an awkward laugh, she rubbed the back of her neck and averted her gaze. "Oh, uh, I'm not really in school anymore. I, sort of, dropped out."

"Oh…" Olette realized, quickly looking back out at the town. A moment passed before she quietly added, "Sorry, I shouldn-"

"It's fine," Sam interrupted her with a small wave before laughing, "Honestly, I can't remember the last time I even thought about school, but…" Her voice trailed off for a moment as she absently stared out at the hills beyond them. "I wouldn't mind going back someday… As weird as that is to say."

Olette giggled, "That is weird to say, but I think I can see where you're coming from. Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to enroll in the school here."

Sam smirked, but didn't say anything in response. Instead, she fell back to silence as she stared out at the billowing smoke that came from the many chimneys in the town.

"You are being surprisingly open with her," DiZ mentioned, making Sam immediately frown. "I was not aware you dropped out of school. I do hope it wasn't so you could come here."

Sam let out a breath and shut her eyes, fighting the urge to reply to him.

"Hey!" Hayner's voice caught their attention and they spun around to see him at the entrance of the train station calling out to them. "Let's go!"

"Be right there!" Olette called back before sending Sam a sweet smile. "You ready?"

Sam strained a smile and nodded as Olette began walking forward. Once she was a few feet away, Sam grumbled to DiZ, "I thought you said you'd only talk to me when it was necessary?"

"I was merely commenting-"

"Well don't," she sharply cut him off.

There was a tense silence for a beat before DiZ simply replied, "Very well."

Sam followed Olette to the main glass double doors that led into the train station. They walked through an entrance hall towards another set of wooden double doors. Pulling them open, they immediately heard the blaring whistle of the arriving train. Sam spun around as she walked behind Olette, scanning the new area. The building was completely made of brick, echoing and reverberating the thunderous sounds of the trains coming and going from the station. She walked past a ticket booth where a small line of people were awaiting to purchase their stubs and came out to the main factory room. Its vastness vaguely reminded Sam of her shop back on Montressor and she felt a faint tug at her heart at the thought.

"Over here!" Pence called out to them, catching Sam's attention.

She looked over to see him and Hayner standing in a line beside a burnt-orange train car. Swirls of white and dark grays decorated the car, under the rectangular windows lining both sides of the freight. Hayner had his arms crossed while Pence waved Sam and Olette over.

As they approached him, Pence informed them, "We made it just in time! The train just arrived."

"Perfect!" Olette beamed. "We won't have to wait around the station this time."

"Do you guys go to this Sunset Terrace place a lot?" Sam asked.

"Not really," Pence admitted. "Mostly on the weekends."

"We'd rather go to the beach," Hayner added, keeping his eyes averted from Sam's as he spoke. "But that's usually too expensive."

"Beach?" Sam repeated with intrigue. "I've never seen one of those before."

"Really?" Olette asked her with surprised eyes. "We'll have to take you sometime then!"

"Yeah! It'll be great!" Pence agreed. "We can get some part time jobs around the town and start saving up munny."

"Or I could pay for it," Sam shrugged. "Munny's not really a problem for me."

DiZ cleared his throat in her ear, obviously unpleased with her words, but he didn't speak up on the matter.

Pence and Olette looked at Sam with mouths agape, until Hayner blunty asked, "Why not?"

"It just isn't," Sam told him blankly, brushing off his question.

Hayner was about to inquire further, but a piercing whistle from the train cut them off and the entrance to the freight slid open, allowing the line of people to scurry inside. Sam followed the others as they entered the car. The walls and ceiling were a dark royal purple and rounded glass lights hung from the top, illuminating the quaint area. Sam sat beside Olette on a tan leather seat as Hayner and Pence sat across from them.

Within a couple minutes the door to the train slid closed and another whistle blew out before leaving the station. Sam gazed out the window as the train rode out of the building and onto a towering stone bridge that overlooked the grassy hills and blue glistening lake in the distance. Not a single building was to be seen as they left Twilight Town behind and rode towards Sunset Terrace.

"So-" Pence's voice brought Sam out of her trance and she turned back to the group to see Pence leaning forward with his hands on his knees. "What do you think we should do first once we get there?"

"Get some food," Hayner spoke up, leaning back in his chair, side glancing at Sam before averting his eyes to Olette beside her. "I can't shop on an empty stomach and it's almost lunchtime."

"Then it's settled!" Olette giggled, then looked beside her. "Sam, what do you like to eat?"

Sam smiled and chuckled, "Anything really, don't worry about me. I'll find something good no matter where we go."

"Crankies it is then," Hayner laced his hands behind his head with a smirk.

Olette lightly groaned, "Crankies? We went there last week! Isn't there anywhere else you like to eat?"

"What can I say?" Hayner shrugged. "I know what I like."

"They do have good burgers," Pence agreed.

As Olette argued their point, Sam watched the three of them interact, feeling a small sense of homesickness swell in her heart. They all seemed so familiar and friendly with each other even though they barely had anything in common. Hayner let out a laugh at something Olette said and the others joined in. It was as if they had forgotten Sam was even there. Swallowing hard, she averted her gaze back out the window, thinking of home.

Before she knew it, the train slowed to a stop and the door slid open, allowing them to leave. Sam trailed slightly behind as the others left, not wanting to get in the way of their banter. Upon exiting, she was immediately greeted by the fresh aromatic scent of lavenders that swirled around the wooden railing that surrounded the station and stairs leading down to the terrace.

As they descended the stone stairs, Pence tapped Sam on the shoulder getting her attention, "First interesting thing about this town," he cleared his throat as if he was about to say something profound. "These stairs count differently going up than they do down."

"Really?" she asked him in disbelief as she looked back at the steps they had already walked.

"Oh, come on, Pence," Hayner groaned, walking a few steps ahead of the group. "Would you stop telling that story to everyone?"

"It's not my fault you don't believe it!" Pence defended, putting his hands up in surrender.

Olette giggled and leaned over to Sam, telling her with a whisper. "Pence has been telling that rumor to anyone who'll listen."

"It's not true-right?" Sam asked.

"Of course not!" Hayner retorted, quickly clearing his throat and looking away as he realized it was the first time he had actually responded to her.

Pence sighed and admitted, "Well, not exactly. After hearing about it we came here and counted. Turns out they count the same going up and down. But it makes for a good story!"

Sam breathily laughed. "Yeah, but it's pretty obvious it's not true. Are there any other stories like that?"

"There's seven of them, actually!" Olette informed her.

"I call them," Pence put his hands in the air in front of him as if showcasing a title, "The Seven Wonders of Twilight Town."

"But... we're in Sunset Terrace," Sam pointed out.

"Well… yeah, I guess that's true," Pence realized with a frown as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Enough talking about those bogus wonders," Hayner got their attention. His arms were crossed as he looked towards the multitude of shops ahead of them. "Are we going to get lunch or not? I'm starved!"

"Okay, okay," Olette playfully rolled her eyes as she walked forward to lead the group. "We're coming!"

They walked towards another set of stairs that led to a small trolley station, where a golden orange trolley was awaiting them, chiming its cheery bell as passengers climbed aboard. The group climbed on and stood near the back of the trolley. Sam held onto the railing as she watched the trolley go up the steep hill through the town while the other trio talked amongst themselves. They passed over a bubbling brook that shimmered and splashed a few cool drops of water onto Sam, making her smile before wiping the moisture away. The trolley came to a stop in the center of the town where more people and restaurants resided. Sam followed the others off, taking note of a steep hill beyond their stop that led up to a grassy top. She looked away from it to find the others stopped in front of a large lit up sign that read, Crankies. The round sign was a brilliant red with white lit up letters spelling out the name. Behind it was a wooden building with the door wide open, letting out a loud rock music.

"This is Crankies?" Sam asked a bit distastefully. "Can you guys even hear each other in there?"

"We usually get our orders to go," Pence informed her.

"And eat it on top of the hill!" Olette added with a smile.

Pence chuckled. "That's the only way we could get Olette to agree to let us come here all the time."

Sam smirked and shrugged, "Well, alright then. What sort of food do they have here?"

"Really great burgers," Pence told her with a grin.

"You mentioned that," Sam reminded him.

"Just look at the menu and figure out yourself," Hayner called behind him as he already walked inside.

"Thanks, Mr. Sunshine. Maybe I'll do that," Sam retorted under her breath, following them in.

Sam almost felt like she was back at the market in Montressor as she walked inside. It was so crowded, her shoulders were always touching someone else and loud chatter mixed with blaring music. She easily weaved through the crowd, making it to the register before the others. She looked up at the massive menu hanging up on the wall above her, it was a black chalkboard with every item crisply written with white chalk.

Picking the first thing first thing that seemed remotely appetizing, she put in her order and paid with the munny card DiZ had given her by the time the others caught up with her. She stepped aside and allowed them to order, noticing their surprised glances that she was already finished. As they ordered, she took the moment to look around the noisy restaurant and found herself smiling at the commotion surrounding her.

"This place reminds me of home," she commented, her voice drowned out by the blaring music.

"If you wish, I can provide transport to allow you back to Montressor," DiZ spoke in her ear; despite the commotion, she could hear his voice clearly.

"No," she shook her head, trying to be discreet that she was talking to someone in her ear. "I'm staying until Sora wakes up."

"As you wish," DiZ simply replied before adding, "I, however, wish to know more of the Seven Wonders-"

"You can't be serious…" Sam cut him off with a roll of her eyes. "You know they're all bogus, right?"

"Perhaps," he replied. "However, the info could prove useful for the synthetic town. Inquire about it further."

She let out a long sigh, "Whatever you say, boss."

Hearing her order number called out, she turned back towards the counter and grabbed the slightly greasy paper bag being held out to her. She waited for the others and then they all walked out of the restaurant together. The moment they left the confines of the building, Pence began talking, telling stories to Sam about their misadventures at school. Sam quietly listened to his rambles as they all walked out of the town towards the top of the steep, dirt hill. As they reached the top, Sam looked around, wrought breathless at the sight of the miles of green hills and gorgeous flowers going on as far as she could see. The stream from the town trickled into a waterfall that shimmered from the sunlight and led into a vast lake that reflected the world around it perfectly.

She tore her eyes away from the scene to see the others already ahead of her, situated on the ground on a patch of grass beside a white wooden fence that lined the edge of the hill. She went forward to join them, sitting beside Olette before opening her bag and pulling out her cheeseburger and fries to quietly eat while the others began to chat away. Her thoughts began to wander while she ate as she half-listened to their conversations, then she heard DiZ clear his throat in her ear, making her frown.

Looking back up at the group she waited for a pause in the conversation before speaking up, "Uhm, hey, Pence?"

"What's up?" he asked, he and his friends looking over at her.

"Could you tell me more about those Seven Wonders?" she grated out the question while absently poking at her leftover fries.

Pence's eyes immediately lit up, "You really wanna know more?"

"Come on!" Hayner groaned, falling to his back. "You can't be serious?"

"They, uh, sounded pretty-I don't know, interesting?" Sam tried to seem nonchalant about it, but when Hayner sent her an unconvinced look, she shoved a handful of fries in her mouth and quickly looked away.

Pence sat up and animatedly filled her on on all of the Seven Wonders around the town. Sam strained a smile as he talked, dearly wishing she could ask DiZ why he so direly needed the seemingly useless information. All of them seemed to have a plausible and realistic explanation that easily proved the so-called 'wonder' false. One in particular, however, caught Sam's attention.

"Wait-" she put up her hand to pause Pence's talk. "There are underground tunnels that connect the towns?"

"Yeah!" Pence nodded before getting a bit quiet as if he were telling a profound secret. "And sometimes, if you walk by them you can hear voices echoing inside them…"

Sam licked her lips and slowly nodded, "Probably just the voices of people walking through the tunnels."

"Let's go find out," Hayner suggested, sitting up and flinging his hand in the air. "Beats sitting here listening to Pence go on about the 'wonders' all day."

"Hey, you found them interesting once!" Pence reminded him.

"Yeah, like the first dozen times you talked about them," Hayner rolled his eyes. "Now it's just annoying."

Sam smirked and looked over to see Olette picking up the trash from their eaten lunches and stuffing it in the paper bags. "Want some help?" Sam asked her.

"I've got it," Olette assured her with a smile before telling the boys. "I don't know if we should go to the tunnels though. Remember the news reports about the strange creature sightings down there?"

"Strange creatures?" Sam asked with intrigue.

"It's fine," Hayner dismissed the worry and Sam's question. "You know the news makes up half the things it says anyways."

"I don't know…" Olette slightly frowned, her voice heavy with uncertainty.

Sam looked between the friends, noticing a small amount of tension. Clearing her throat, she spoke up, "Well, uh, if anything does show up, I can take care of it. I can fight them off if I need to."

"You can fight?" Hayner asked, giving her a look over before scoffing and looking away. "I'll believe that when I see it."

Sam bit the inside of her cheek, avoiding the urge to say anything in response. Instead she looked over to Pence and Olette. "I'd like to see the tunnels though. Might be pretty interesting."

"Alright!" Pence hopped up with excitement. "Right this way then!"

They each got up and brushed the dirt off their clothes before following Pence down the hill. Olette tossed the trash in a nearby trash bin as they reached the paved streets again. Sam looked around as they entered a long brick alleyway hidden away from the main town. Once they reached the end of it, they found themselves in front of a tall and wide doorway that led into a dark tunnel.

"Here it is!" Pence motioned his hands forward, before turning to Sam and leaning forward with a hushed voice, "Ready to face the great unknown?"

Sam raised an eyebrow at his odd excitement, letting out a short laugh. "Uh, yeah, I guess?"

"Stop being so dramatic," Hayner rolled his eyes as he walked passed Pence, patting him on the shoulder. "Let's get in there so we can get this over with."

"Oh, come on," Pence called after him as he ran forward to meet his pace. "At least try to seem excited."

Olette looked over at Sam and playfully rolled her eyes with a smile before following after the boys. Sam slightly smiled back as she walked along with them. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness of the tunnel. Holding out her hand at her side, she felt wooden beams along the wall the seemed to support ceiling. Little by little, her sight adjusted and she could make out dim lamps hung on the wooden support beams. The lights barely illuminated more than a few feet in front of them, and their footsteps echoed down the long corridors. Every so often they could hear the distinct rumbling of the trains passing over the, causing the walls to shake and dust to rustle from the ceiling down to them.

"So," Sam broke the silence as they ventured forth, "you mentioned there were reports of strange creatures down here?"

"Yes," Olette replied a bit slowly, as if the subject made her uneasy. "They haven't been seen at all in the main town, at least, not any reported sightings."

"Do you know what they are?" she asked. "Or what they look like?"

"The news said they looked like little black vermin with glowing eyes," Pence answered, noticing Sam immediately looking over at him from his words.

Hayner scoffed, "Sounds like a made up bedtime story to scare kids out of going into the tunnels to me."

"If they don't want kids in the tunnels, why don't they close the tunnel entrances off then?" Sam inquired.

"Probably because it lets people walk from one town to the next," Pence shrugged. "Especially since there might be people that can't afford the tickets or just don't like trains."

"I guess," Sam replied. "Just seems a little silly to have them open to the public if there really are Heartless down here."

"Heartless?" Olette repeated.

"Oh, right…" Sam pushed some hair behind her ear. "I guess you guys wouldn't know what those are."

"Wait," Hayner stopped walking and crossed his arms, turning towards her. "What are you talking about?"

"Uh-" Sam allowed her voice to trail off as she licked her lips and averted her gaze, unsure of what to say.

"Help!" A high-pitched voice echoed further down the tunnel, catching all of their attention. "Seifer, Fuu, someone! Help!"

Without waiting for the others, Sam immediately sprinted forward, following the sound of the echo. The darkness kept her from being able to see far ahead-all she had to rely on was the voice calling out.

"Sam, wait!" she heard Olette calling after her.

"Wait for us!" Pence added.

Sam could hear their rumbling footsteps not far behind. "I'll take care of it! You guys stay back!"

"Not a chance!" Hayner called back, sprinting forward and reaching her pace.

The tunnel led to a vast room with multiple doorways that led to other paths. A stream of water surrounded the edges with metal grates bridging over it, letting out a rattle when Sam and Hayner stomped on top of it. Sam skid to a stop once she entered, seeing a short figure in the center of the room, crouched down and shivering in fear. A long pointed yellow hat was atop their head, concealing whatever hair the figure might have had. The oversized sleeves of their blue jacket covered their face as small whimpers escaped them.

Sam looked over at Hayner questioningly as he let out an annoyed breath.

"Vivi?" he spoke up, walking forward with his hands on his hips. "What are you doing here?"

Vivi peeked up from his sleeves, his yellow eyes meeting with Hayner's before he looked left and right as if scanning the area. "They're gone?" he asked in a high cautious voice.

"Who's gone?" Pence asked breathlessly as him and Olette caught up with them.

"Those creatures," Vivi replied, getting up from the floor and letting out a breath of relief. "They appeared out of nowhere! I thought I was a goner."

"Are you alright?" Sam spoke up, still looking around with her hand hovering above her metal staff.

Vivi averted his gaze to her and nodded, "Yeah, I think so."

"You didn't answer my question, Vivi," Hayner got his attention again. "What were you doing in here?"

"Oh," Vivi looked down at the ground and lightly kicked it with his yellow and brown striped shoes. "I was… doing some sword practice for the next Struggle Tournament. Not a lot of people come in here, so I thought it would be a good place to do it." He turned around and scampered over to the edge of the room, picking up a blue plastic sword from the ground. Coming back, he held it out to Hayner. "But... after those creatures attacked, I think I want to take a break. You can have it now."

Hayner hesitantly took it from him. "Thanks…"

"Sure thing!" Vivi replied before readjusting his large hat. "Well, I'm glad you guys showed up! I'm gonna get out of here!" With that, he scurried out of the tunnel, leaving them alone in the room.

Once Vivi was gone, Pence walked towards the center of the room with his arms crossed, "Well that was… strange."

"That's one way to put it," Sam replied. "You guys know him?"

"Yeah, Vivi's in Seifer's gang," Hayner replied, looking over the blue sword he was given.

"Seriously?" Sam asked, getting a nod from them.

"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Olette asked. "About the creatures?"

"Doubtful," Hayner replied.

"If he was, the creatures aren't too far off," Sam told them. "They'll be back."

"T-then maybe we should get going," Olette slightly stammered, fidgeting her hands in front of her. "We heard Vivi's voice echo, so that explains the wonder. Let's just head back to town and do our shopping."

"She's right," DiZ spoke up in Sam's ear. "If Heartless indeed are the creatures appearing in these tunnels, we wouldn't want your companions to see you use your counterpart."

"Will you stop calling it my counterpart?" Sam asked him with an annoyed voice.

"What?" Pence asked.

Sam's eyes widened as she looked over at the others, seeing each of them staring at her. "Oh-" she licked her lips, "Nothing, just... talking to myself." She quickly averted her gaze and cleared her throat.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Hayner asked, slowly walking towards her. "I knew we couldn't trust you."

"Hayner," Olette scolded him. "Stop jumping to conclusions! Sam hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Jumping to conclusions?" he repeated. "She knew the names of the creatures and keeps"-he did air quotes with his hands-"talking to herself. Something's up."

Sam looked back at him, meeting his glare with a tense silence. Taking in a deep breath, she shook her head and resigned, "Alright, fine-"

"Samantha," DiZ's voice was low in her ear. "Do not tell them anything!"

Sam rolled her eyes and pressed her hand to her ear to make it obvious she was talking to someone. "They called me out on it; I have to tell them something." She ignored the borderline grumble DiZ gave her in response and looked back to the others. "I'm-"

She was interrupted by a sudden familiar sound as clouds of black mist sprouted out of the ground, leaving Shadow Heartless in their wake. Olette let out a startled scream from the sight and ran over to Pence, hiding behind him as Pence slowly backed away from the creatures. Hayner immediately held out the plastic blade Vivi had given him, trying to seem confident, but his eyes were widened with fright.

Sam groaned as she pulled out her staff and held it out in front of her as it lengthened. "Did you seriously call these guys here to stop me from saying anything?" she asked DiZ with a hushed voice so the others couldn't hear her. "Can you actually do that?"

"I don't know what you're referring to," he replied almost coyly.

She scowled in response and readied her weapon, glancing over at Hayner beside her. "Get the others out of here, I'll handle these guys."

Hayner shook his head, "No way! I can help."

"Honestly?" Sam told him as she jumped forward and easily took out three Shadows with a single swing. She turned towards him and leaned her staff on her shoulder. "You're just going to get in the way."

Hayner scowled from her words and looked at a Shadow now far away from them. Tightly grasping the blade in his hand, he sprinted forward and sliced towards it. The plastic simply phased through its shadowy body, sustaining little to no damage. Hayner's eyes widened the moment he realized his weapon was completely useless and he stumbled backwards as the Heartless barred its claws and swiped for him, falling to the ground. He lifted his arm to his face, shielding himself as the monster went for another attack, but as it jumped up, it exploded in a flash of electricity, leaving behind tiny green orbs and yellow gems of munny.

"Wha-" Hayner whipped his head towards Sam, breathless as his heart pounded in his chest. She stood on the other side of the room, surrounded by orbs from fallen Heartless and the fabric that once covered her left arm was completely gone, singed off and exposing a completely metal arm. His mouth dropped open as he stared at her.

Sam took little notice of Hayner gawking as she spun around, swinging her staff with one hand, hitting Shadows surrounding her, while aiming her hand towards a group of enemies approaching Pence and Olette. A small string of energy pulses shot from her hand, striking the center of the conglomerate group of enemies and causing all of them to explode in a black mist. She smirked at DiZ's objections of the use of her arm, completely ignoring his words. As the last Shadow was destroyed, she held her staff out in front of her, allowing it to shorten once again before slinging it back in her sheath. She walked towards the others, allowing the green orbs to meld into her as she approached.

"You guys alright?" she asked them, taking note of the shocked expressions on all of their faces.

They stared at her in stunned silence for several seconds. Sam took the time to collect the rest of the orbs around the room, occasionally glancing over at them and noticing their eyes glancing over her mechanical arm. As she once again approached them once the orbs were taken care of, Pence broke the silence.

"Are you some sort of secret agent?" he asked.

Sam stared at him for a moment before shrugging and smirking, "I guess in a way, I sort of am." She could hear DiZ sigh in her ear, making her smirk grow.

"What are you doing with us?" Hayner asked, his gaze glued on her arm.

Sam crossed her arms and lightly bit her lip, "I'm-taking the day off." She averted her gaze. "I really haven't explored Twilight Town and you guys seemed nice, so I tagged along."

"What's with your arm? Ow!" Hayner asked bluntly before being smacked by Olette. "What? You aren't curious?"

"That's extremely rude!" Olette scolded him with a whisper.

"It's fine," Sam assured them, before clearing her throat and readjusting the way she was standing. "A couple months ago, I, uh, got burned really bad, and my arm had to be taken off. So… I designed this as a replacement."

Hayner looked between Sam and her arm with widened eyes, as if trying to wrap his mind around her words. He glanced over at Olette, seeing a similar expression on her face while Pence quickly walked forward.

"You made that?!" Pence exclaimed, looking closely at Sam's arm, making her shift uncomfortably. "That's amazing! I've never seen anything like this!"

Sam chuckled nervously. "Uh, thanks. My boyfriend and I designed it together."

"Is that crystal the power source?" Pence asked, pointing towards the blue crystal imbedded in the center of the arm.

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "It's a material from-" she heard DiZ clear his throat in her ear, as if warning her not to specify the place. "Uh-from really far away. It's really powerful."

"Wow," Olette breathed out with a small smile. "You're really amazing!"

"Heh," Sam smiled but shook her head. "Not really, but thanks."

"No really!" she insisted, walking towards Sam and clasping her hands in front of her. "You saved our lives from those- what did you call them?"

"Heartless," Sam reminded her. "They're like… creatures of darkness."

"Heartless…" Hayner repeated the name under his breath as he finally pushed himself to stand. "We've never even heard of them before."

"I guess being creatures of darkness would explain why they're in a dark place like this," Pence surmised, scanning the entirety of Sam's mechanical arm. "Sorry about your shirt."

Sam looked down at her arm, noticing the singed ends of her once long sleeved shirt that had disintegrated the moment she powered up her arm for a shot. "It's fine. I've been meaning to buy new clothes anyways. Although, I'm not sure if I can really walk around Twilight Town with my arm out in the open." She looked at the other tunnel ways that led out of the large room they were in. "I guess I could find my way back to the main town and slip back to where I'm staying without being noticed."

"But it's your day off!" Olette reminded her. "You shouldn't have to spend it hidden away like that." She put her hand to her chin and thought for a moment. "Actually! I saw a long jacket when we were on our way to lunch!" She looked up at Sam. "It was a tan trench coat, do you think you would like it?"

"Um, probably," Sam shrugged with a small smile. "Why?"

Grabbing Pence's arm, Olette dragged him with her, grabbing Hayner when she passed him. "We'll go buy it for you as thanks for saving us! It should cover up your arm! Wait right here!"

"It's really alright!" Sam called after them, but they went on despite her words. As they left she chuckled and shook her head.

"You deliberately disobeyed my orders!" DiZ's voice was instantly ranting in her ear. "When I-"

"Look," Sam interrupted with a sigh, "you can't summon Heartless and expect me not to protect the same people you asked me to hang out with."

"What makes you believe I was the one who summoned the Heartless?"

"The timing of it, for one," she pointed out. "Whether you were the one that summoned them or not, I'm not some puppet for you to control, alright? I'm not going to just take it like Namine. I did what you asked and told them enough to get them to trust me. Now, can you back off?"

Letting out a deep grumble, he replied, "Very well… However, if you deliberately disobey my orders again, I will teleport you back to the mansion immediately."

"Alright, fine," she put her hands up in fake surrender. "Whatever you say."

As DiZ fell back to silence, Sam began pacing around the room, running her hand along lights embedded in the wooden beams. She enjoyed the peaceful silence for several minutes, thankful no more Heartless appeared while the others were gone. Soon she heard their hurried footsteps coming back her way. She turned around and saw them running up to her, Olette and Pence beaming with grins and Hayner barely breaking the slightest hint of a smirk as they handed her a deep blue paper bag with white handles.

As Sam reached into the bag, Olette informed her, "We didn't know your size, but we're pretty sure this will fit you."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Sam assured her as she pulled out the tan jacket and placed the bag on the ground. Before looking it over, she added, "You guys really didn't have to do this for me."

"It was the least we could do," Pence told her as she held it out in front of her.

It was made of a thicker yet comfortable fabric. The sleeves were indeed long, tight around the shoulders before flaring out the further down they went, completely concealing her mechanical arm. Rather than a zipper, the front was more open with a single strand of a thick drawstring around the chest area. Sam smiled as she looked it over and she immediately put it on, tying the string in the front into a simple bow. She readjusted the hood before looking down, to see the fabric of the jacket going all the way down to her knees.

"This is perfect," she told them with a genuine smile, looking back up at them. "Thank you."

Olette's grin grew even larger. "You mean it?"

"Yeah," Sam told her with a small laugh. "You picked the perfect thing for me."

"In that case," Pence spoke up, "let's continue our shopping!"

"Is there anywhere else you'd like to go or anything you need to get? Olette asked. "It is your day off, after all!"

Sam chuckled, "Maybe clothes, but I'll just go wherever you guys do. I'm not picky."

"Oh, I know this great clothing shop right by the station!" Olette chimed as they all began leaving the tunnels. "We'll make sure to stop by there."

Sam looked around the vast room and dark tunnels as they left, finally coming back out to the town. The bright sunlight immediately made Sam shield her eyes, but she welcomed its warmth. She felt Olette's arm link through hers as her new trio of friends led the way through the town. They went from shop to shop as they chatted with Sam, and even Hayner began opening up a bit more and allowed a smile to appear on his face. Sam slowly felt herself relax around them, laughing freely and making quips of her own that made the others laugh. When they reached the clothing store Olette had spoken of, she helped Sam pick out a few new outfits-things to fit the 'new her,' as Sam put it. Once the clothes were paid for and they left the shop, they headed back up to the station as the sun was just beginning to set.

As they stood at the station waiting for their train to arrive, Pence spoke up, "So now that shopping's over, what are we going to do now?"

"Let's just go back to the usual spot," Hayner suggested while stretching his arms, almost accidentally hitting a person standing behind him.

"And eat some ice cream!" Olette added.

"Where is your usual spot?" Sam asked them.

"It's back in the alley," Hayner explained. "There's this space between three shops that's enclosed."

"We found it a few years back," Pence added on, "and since then we've brought in a few old couches and stuff to sort of make it our hangout spot."

"Cool," Sam smiled.

The train's whistle interrupted their conversation as it arrived at the station. Once the door slid open, the group walked into the cable car along with the large crowd of people and found their seats. They chatted a bit between each other as they rode back to Twilight Town. Sam glanced out the window a few times, seeing the burnt orange sky contrasting with the bright grassy hills below. As they approached the Twilight Station, Sam looked up at the clock tower and swallowed hard, seeing Roxas sitting up at the top alone. She couldn't make out the details of his face, but she could see his familiar golden spiked hair as he slumped forward with a bright blue popsicle grasped in his hand.

"I wonder where Axel and Xion are…" she whispered, her voice drowned out by the train and chattering people around her.

"Perhaps Riku's dealings with Xion has upset their balance," DiZ spoke with the hint of a sigh in his voice.

"What makes you think Riku's dealing with Xion?" Sam asked him, keeping her voice low and glancing at the others to make sure they didn't hear her.

She awaited DiZ's reply, but he remained silent, making her slightly frown as the train entered the Twilight Station. As the freight came to a stop, she got up with the others and walked out with them, making sure they were all together before leaving the station as a group. The sun was lower on the horizon as they made it back outside and Sam looked up at the clock tower once more, barely able to make out Roxas' black coat from where she stood.

"What are you looking at?" Pence asked, looking up with her. "Admiring the clock?"

Without averting her gaze from Roxas, she asked. "Do you see anyone up there?"

"On the clock tower?" Hayner asked, joining them. "Who'd be crazy enough to go up there?"

"I don't see anyone," Pence shrugged, looking back at Sam. "I don't know how anyone would get up there anyways."

"Well, someone has to be able to to set the clock and fix it from time to time," Olette pointed out, clasping her hands behind her back. "So, there must be some way up. I bet the view from up there is amazing!"

Sam smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I bet it is." She finally tore her gaze away from Roxas, and looked back to the others. "So, usual spot?"

"Right this way, milady," Pence formally motioned his hand towards the brick road that led back down to the main town.

She chuckled and walked along with them as they left the station and went down the steep brick walkway. As they arrived back in the middle of the town, Hayner slowed to a stop and spoke up.

"Hey, why don't Sam and I get the ice cream and we'll meet you guys back at the usual spot?" he suggested, crossing his arms.

Olette and Pence exchanged a look before shrugging. "Sure," Pence replied, "I guess that works as long as Sam doesn't mind."

"I'm fine either way," she assured them.

"Well, see you there then!" Olette chimed, sending them a small wave before turning around with Pence and walking away.

Hayner and Sam stood in a semi-awkward silence as they watched the others walk away. Suddenly clearing his throat, Hayner pointed towards a shop on the other side of the brick courtyard. "The ice cream shop is this way."

Sam silently nodded and followed his lead, stopping when they reached the back of the line leading to a pastel yellow stand with bright neon lighted signs reading off various products-Sweets, Ice Cream, Fudge, Candies-that flashed and glowed in the sunset colors of the town. They stood in the line in silence for a few minutes, moving forward every so often. Sam side-glanced at Hayner beside her, seeing him drumming his fingers along his crossed arms and lightly chewing on his lip.

"Is-something wrong?" she eventually spoke up.

"Not really," he admitted, before hanging his head and letting out an almost aggravated breath. "I just-wanted to apologize… about before. I was being pretty rude to you and I didn't trust you. But… you saved our lives in those tunnels even after the way I was acting-"

"I wasn't about to let you get hurt just because you didn't trust me," she interrupted him.

"My point," he tried again, keeping his eyes averted from hers, "is that I'm grateful and… I trust you now. So… Sorry about before, or whatever."

Sam looked over at him, noticing a slight rosy tint to his cheeks that made her smirk. Looking away, she told him, "It's fine, really. I probably wouldn't have trusted me either if i was in your shoes. But you guys aren't half bad-I actually had a lot of fun today."

"I don't know how often you gets days off from whatever you do, but you can hang out with us whenever you want," he told her, still refusing to look over at her while he talked. "I know Olette and Pence wouldn't mind it either."

She smiled at the thought, "I think I will hang out with you guys again."

"Do you live around here?" he asked.

"Yeah, sort of," she replied, rubbing the back of her neck while her other hand tightened around the straps of her shopping bag. "I'm not too far away."

"Well, that's good," he replied. "Hopefully that means we'll see you again soon."

Sam glanced at him, his cheeks were considerably darker. Letting out a breath, she looked back at the quickly shrinking line in front of them and commented, "Yeah, I'm sure I'll get another day off soon."

Hayner nodded but didn't reply as the customer in front of them got their treat and moved away, allowing them to come forward. As Hayner made the order, Sam reached into her pocket and pulled out her munny card. She noticed Hayner's surprised look as she handed the card to the cashier.

"You guys got me this coat, I'll get the dessert," she told him with a smile before grabbing the card back and slipping it back into her pocket.

Hayner smirked back and handed her two bright blue popsicles, keeping two for himself. He turned and led the way out of the market, striking up a new conversation with Sam about how he got into Struggle Tournaments. Sam listened with a quaint smile, trying to avoid making snide remarks about how silly it was that he fought with a plastic sword in the tournaments.

They reached the back alley and Sam looked around as they walked, realizing it was a part of the town she had yet to come to. They approached a tall black fence with a thick purple curtain with tattered ends draped across the gateway. Hayner used his elbow to push the curtain out of the way, allowing Sam's entrance. She went through, entering a large enclosed room. Streaks of sunlight shined through the wooden beams and metal pipes that made up the ceiling between the red bricked walls, covered with random posters and a single dart board. Olette sat on an old green couch, covered with stains and a few holes, allowing the springs to show through. Pence sat across from her on a pile of cardboard boxes and grinned when he saw Hayner and Sam enter with the ice cream.

"Welcome to the secret lair!" Pence greeted Sam, outstretching his arms to his sides before jumping off the box and jogging forward to take one of the popsicles from Hayner.

Sam chuckled as she walked over to Olette and sat down beside her on the couch, handing her one of the popsicles she was holding. "I have to admit, this is pretty cool."

"So, how did you enjoy your tour around Twilight Town today?" Olette asked her, taking a bite of her own ice cream.

"It was a lot of fun, actually," Sam replied, taking a bit of the ice cream before holding it out in front of her. "Huh… So, that's what this tastes like…"

"You've never had sea salt ice cream before?" Pence asked in surprise.

"No, the name of it is… a little off putting, to be honest," she admitted with a laugh. "My boss eats it all the time though, so it's about time I give it a try."

"We eat it a lot, too," Olette confessed with a giggle.

"Every day, in fact," Pence added.

"That sounds like a delicious tradition," Sam commented, making them chuckle.

They continued to talk as they enjoyed their ice cream. Ever so slowly, the sun rays that peeked through the ceiling began to dim until they were completely gone. At that point Sam reluctantly stood from her seat on the couch and bid them farewell.

"I… should probably head back," she told them with a bit of sadness apparent in her voice. Rubbing the back of her neck, she said, "I really appreciate you guys showing me around today. And for the jacket."

"Of course!" Olette hopped up and gave Sam a quick hug. "I hope we can all hang out again soon!"

"Me, too," she replied honestly, giving a smile to the other two.

"We'll see you around!" Pence grinned and waved.

"Take care of yourself," Hayner added with a smile, but remained in his seat.

"You, too," Sam replied, sending all of them a wave before turning around and leaving them behind.


	35. A Day in the Mansion

Chapter 35

***Recap: Riku left to deal with Xion, per Namine's request, yet he did so without DiZ's consent or prior knowledge. Shortly after he left, DiZ sent Sam to explore Twilight Town to interact with people and things that he could create copies of to put into a synthetic duplicate of the town that he has been creating. While out, Sam befriended a trio of friends: Hayner, Pence, and Olette. As all of this has been happening, Hinata has remained in the confines of the mansion, becoming more restless and anxious by the hour, knowing that the Organization is on the search for her.***

Hinata sat at a desk in her room, silently writing in her journal, every so often glancing up at her communication device that sat on top of a small pile of books in the far left corner. With every glance, the frown already plain on her face would deepen just a little bit more. Letting out a breath, she forced herself to focus on her writing. She recalled all of the events that had occurred over her Christmas trip, finally relaying it into her journals for future recollection. As she finished a sentence, she looked over to the right side of the desk where four other journals were stacked, their pages completely filled and random photos protruded from the edges.

A sudden vibrating rumble caught her attention, and with a gasp she whipped her attention back to her communication device, seeing the blue rim in the center glowing while letting out a string of vibrations. She smiled as she quickly reached forward and pressed the center button, allowing a glowing blue hologram of Riku to appear above it. He was leaning against a wall, his hair loosely tied back, keeping it out of his face. The moment he appeared, he smiled sweetly at Hinata.

"There you are," she greeted him with a sigh of relief. "I was beginning to worry you wouldn't be able to call today either."

Riku chuckled. "Yeah, me too, actually. But Xion just left for a bit to go do something, so I thought I'd give you a call."

"I really appreciate it," she replied honestly, while she leaned back in her seat. "It's hard to believe it's been two weeks since you've left. It's felt like a lot longer."

He scoffed, "Yeah, I feel ya. But I'll be back before you know it."

Hinata slightly smiled back at him before she asked, "So-how are things going with you and Xion? I think last time we talked you said you two had just finished going through Castle Oblivion?" When he nodded, she asked, "Where are you guys now?"

"In Twilight Town, actually," he told her before shrugging, "and she's doing alright. We ran into Axel and Roxas today and I could tell that was hard on her. They don't understand why she's doing what she's doing." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I barely understand it myself, if I'm being honest."

"She's trying to figure out who she is," Hinata replied a bit solemnly. "Did going through Castle Oblivion help her?"

"A little bit," he nodded. "She figured out for herself that she's a Replica and we found some data files from Vexen's computer about it. Since then she's been asking a lot more about Sora, so… I think she's starting to come around to the idea of coming back to the mansion with me to meet Namine."

Hinata half-smiled, but it quickly faded as her heart sank. "I imagine being around her knowing what's going to happen hasn't been easy."

Riku looked away for a moment before reluctantly admitting, "It hasn't… but I do really like her. She's a lot like Kairi. I bet you'd like her too."

"I bet," she sadly smiled.

They were both silent for a moment, before Riku cleared his throat, "So how are you doing?"

"Pretty much the same," she gloomily averted her gaze as she let out a breath. "I'm running out of the sleeping meds." She drummed her fingers along the desktop and bitterly laughed, "I wonder if I can send Sam to Montressor to pick me up a refill?"

"You're still having trouble sleeping?" he asked her remorsefully.

She slowly nodded, still keeping her gaze averted. "The nightmares have started back, too."

Riku stared at her in silence for a moment before quietly asking, "Are they still… about what happened in Hollow Bastion...?"

She shot her gaze to him with widened eyes, immediately noticing the worried expression on his face. "No, no, don't worry!" she quickly assured him before sweetly smiling. "I know I'm completely safe from that now and I've been moving past it. I promise."

"That's a relief at least," he replied with a breath that set him back at ease. "What are they about?"

"A lot of things actually," she admitted, getting uncomfortable again as she continued to drum her fingers across the desk. "Last night's was about you. You were in trouble and I couldn't do anything to help you because I was stuck here and… you ended up dying." she looked away with a grimace, as if recalling the scene. "It's been bothering me ever since I woke up."

Riku frowned. "It was just a dream, Hinata. You know that won't happen, right?"

"But what if it does?" she asked, bringing her gaze back to him. "You don't know what types of monsters you could encounter out there all by yourself and I know you can take care of yourself, but… what if you end up finding something that's too much for you? Something that could've easily been handled if we took it on together?"

"That's why we've been training Sam," he reminded her. "Hinata, you don't have to worry about that sort of stuff. And even if I do get into an impossible situation like that, I could always teleport out of there or, even on the off chance that I can't do that, I can release the darkness and at that point I could take on anything."

"You wouldn't be able to change back after doing that though," she pointed out. "Right? You'd turn into Ansem."

"Well… yeah," he confessed, "but I wouldn't die." He shook his head and told her, "My point is that you don't have to worry about me getting into a situation I couldn't make it out of."

She leaned back in her seat with a frown, while thinking over his words. After a few silent moments, she spoke up. "You could potentially do those things with me around too, couldn't you?"

"Um-yeah, of course I could," he replied. "Why?"

"Then… why can't I go on missions with you?" she asked. "If we make sure we always stay together on missions, then no matter who we run into or who shows up, we can get out of there without them taking me."

Riku immediately brought his hand to his face. "Hinata… can we talk, just once, without you bringing this up? I know you hate staying at the mansion-trust me, I get it. But there isn't anything I can do."

"I'm sorry, I just…It's hard to think of anything else," she apologized while averting her gaze and fidgeting her hands.

He looked at her for a moment before letting out a long breath, "I know…But even if you're with me, there's no way to know whether or not I can keep you safe. We can't tell the future, and I'm not about to take any chances when it comes to you."

Hinata instantly looked up at him from his words before looking past him. "Tell the future…?" she softly repeated with a thoughtful expression.

"What's going through your head?" he asked with a sigh.

"What if… we could find a way to figure out the future?" she asked him. "A way to find out if I'll be safe?"

"And you just happen to know a way to do that?" he retorted, motioning his hand towards her in disbelief. "Something can't just give you visions of…" His voice trailed off and he suddenly shook his head. "No, no, get that thought out of your head. I am not going back to Prydain for some stupid pig."

"But, Riku," she pleaded, "we know Hen Wen can give visions of the future! You could go there and ask her to show you my future if I leave the mansion! And based on what she shows-"

"There's no way to know how accurate those visions actually are," he interrupted her, before bringing his hand to his face again and muttering, "I can't believe we're actually talking about this." He sighed and removed his hand from his face. "Hinata, you told me that when you tried to get Hen Wen to show you a vision about your past, she ended up actually showing you a vision of me instead, in the future, right?"

"Well-yeah," she admitted, slightly nodding. "But… there was something I didn't tell you either."

"What was it?" he asked.

"When I said the spell to make Hen Wen show me the vision… I wasn't thinking of my family or my past… I was-" she looked away with flushed cheeks, "-thinking about you… And I think that's that real reason she showed me your future rather than what I was actually asking about."

"Oh…" he realized.

"And it all ended up coming true," Hinata reminded him. "So, I'd say that's pretty accurate."

Riku scowled and looked away. He was silent for what seemed like an entire minute, deep in thought before finally speaking up again. "So-your idea is for me to go back to Prydain to find that pig and have it tell me your future…?"

"And if it's a good or safe future, I should be allowed to go on missions again, or, at the very least, leave the mansion," she further explained.

"I don't know, Hinata," he admitted, shaking his head before he looked back at her. "It's not like I'm in an especially easy spot to go do that right now. And just because the vision Hen Wen shows is a good one doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be safe from the Organization."

"But it will mean that if they do manage to get a hold of me, I'll make it out okay," she pointed out.

"And you're alright with that risk?" he asked.

"Riku, I've been stuck in this place for months," she leaned forward. "I am beginning to get desperate to get out of here and do something! I'm sitting here while you and Sam get to go out and do all these important missions. I'm useless here! You can't tell me you don't wish I could help out a bit and be out there with you."

"Of course I wish you were here with me," he confessed. "I just don't want to put you in danger..."

"I know," she sweetly smiled at him. "But I can't keep hiding out here."

Riku frowned and looked away, staying silent for a few moments before taking a deep breath. "I'll think about it, alright?" He looked back to her. "No guarantees, but I'll at least think about it."

Hinata's smile grew and she quickly nodded, "Yes! Thank you, that's more than I hoped for."

He slightly smiled back at her, "I hope you know I love you. I'm not trying to keep you locked up; I just want to make sure you're safe."

"I know," she breathily laughed. "It's incredibly sweet and noble of you. I'm just going a bit insane… But, I really love you, too. I can't wait until you can come back."

"You and me both," he admitted. "You have no idea how much I want to kiss you."

Hinata giggled, her cheeks flushing a dark rose. "Oh stop!"

Riku chuckled in response, his own face flushed. "I should probably get going. Xion isn't back yet, so I should go make sure she's alright."

"Okay," she nodded, her smile slightly diminishing as her heart sank. "Just be careful out there. And tell Xion I said hi."

He smirked. "I will. She's been asking about you; she'll probably want to meet you when she finally comes to the mansion."

"I'd like to meet her, too," she admitted. "At least once."

"Yeah…" he replied in a distracted tone.

They both fell silent as they thought about Xion, but then Riku cleared his throat.

"Anyways," Riku shook his head, getting Hinata's attention again, "I'll talk to you later. And-maybe try sleeping in the same room as Sam tonight; having her there might help with the nightmares."

Hinata sweetly smiled at him. "Thanks, I'll try that. I know I already said it, but-I love you, like, a lot."

"I love you, too," he smirked before cutting the call.

The blue hologram suddenly disappeared, leaving Hinata in silence again. She stared at the lifeless device for a few seconds before pushing her chair back and standing up. While stretching her arms, she let out a yawn, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Rubbing her eyes, she walked towards the bathroom and flicked on the lights. Just by glancing in the mirror, she noticed the dark bags under her eyes and the dreary glaze over her eyes. Her long red hair was in a messy bun, frizzed out with stray pieces protruding in every direction. Its messy appearance matched her oversized shirt that she had admittedly borrowed from Riku's drawer in their shared wardrobe: a short sleeved dark-gray shirt that would have hugged Riku's torso, but barely showed any hint of a shape on Hinata. It reached to mid-hip, covering most of her tight black yoga shorts.

She grabbed the edge of the counter as she stared at her reflection and mumbled, "Well I look like an absolute mess… Riku's got a real winner on his hands."

Turning on the sink, she pooled her hands under the flowing water and splashed some refreshing cold liquid across her face. The feeling of it felt rejuvenating for a single moment, before fleeting and leaving her just as exhausted as before. Grabbing a nearby hand towel, she dried her skin before letting out another large yawn.

"I guess getting less than two hours of sleep every night for a week can have an effect on people," she muttered almost sarcastically under her breath as she turned to leave the bathroom. She glanced at her wardrobe as she came back to her room, considering getting properly dressed. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea, "Not like I have anywhere to go." She left the room and went out to the main foyer, letting out yet another yawn and stretching her arms.

"Hey, Sleepyhead," Sam greeted her from the balcony on the second floor.

Hinata looked up, seeing Sam leaning against the wooden railing. She smiled up at her and replied, "Hey, what are you up to?"

"Oh, just got done meeting with DiZ about something," she shrugged as she grabbed the railing and vaulted over, landing down on the first floor with a small cloud of dust erupting as her feet made contact with the ground. Wiping her hands together, she walked towards Hinata. "I was about to head out to town to do some more scouting."

"With those three friends?" Hinata asked. "Hayner, Pence, and Olette, right?"

Sam smirked, "Yeah, that's them. DiZ has been wanting me to become better friends with them since he's adding them into his synthetic town."

"Have you figured out what he wants with that town yet?"

Sam scoffed, "Nope. He's still as secretive as ever, but I like these guys, so I don't mind hanging out with them."

Hinata slightly smiled but spoke somberly, "Well, I hope you have a good time. Tell them I said hello."

"Will do," Sam smiled back while looking Hinata over. "Are you doing alright? You-sort of look like a mess."

"Heh," Hinata looked down at her outfit with a bit of a laugh. "Yeah, I haven't really been sleeping well. I actually wanted to ask you something about that…"

"What is it?" she asked while crossing her arms.

"Uhh-would you mind if we started sharing a room? At least until Riku gets back from helping Xion?" Hinata asked while fidgeting her hands together in front of her.

Sam blinked in surprise before chuckling, "Yeah, that's fine. I've never thought of you to be the slumber party type, though."

"Whatever, you know that's not what I mean!" Hinata snorted a sudden laugh.

"We should just invite Namine while we're at it and actually make it a party," Sam added with a smirk, "We could all use a girls' night."

Hinata thought about it for a moment before nodding, "I'm totally up for that, actually."

"Well, cool beans," Sam grinned while pointing at her with both her hands. "So you set it all up while I'm gone and I'll see you guys tonight?"

With a roll of her eyes, Hinata agreed, "Sure, I'll do all the work while you go have a grand ol' time in town."

"Good to know we're on the same page," Sam snickered as she walked past Hinata towards the front door. "See you later!" She waved behind her as she left.

Hinata shook her head with a sigh once the door shut behind Sam, and looked up to Namine's room on the second floor with a small smile. She went up the stairs to the second floor and knocked lightly on the pure white door. Within seconds, the door slowly creaked open with Namine peering up at her with a sweet smile.

"Hinata," she greeted with a chime in her voice as she opened the door wider to allow her entrance. "I'm happy to see you. How are you doing?"

"Hey, Namine," Hinata smiled as she walked in. "I'm doing alright. How about you?"

"Can't complain," she replied while clasping her hands behind her back. "Although, I'm hoping Sam will remember to bring me back a new sketchbook. I'm running out of pages."

Hinata chuckled, "I can't believe how quickly you go through those things." She looked around the room, seeing a whole new array of drawings hung on the white walls.

"Was there something you needed?" Namine inquired.

"Oh, yeah, actually," Hinata looked back at her and rubbed the back of her neck, "Sam and I were thinking of having a slumber party-of sorts-tonight, and we were wondering if you'd like to join us?"

"A-slumber party?" Namine slowly asked, slightly cocking her head to the side.

"Yeah," Hinata chuckled awkwardly. "Basically we all sleep in the same room and stay up late just hanging out and eating snacks in our pjs."

"Oh!" Namine's eyes widened and she stepped forward. "And you and Sam want me there?"

"Of course we do," Hinata smiled. "You're our friend, right?"

Namine blinked a few times as she stared at her in surprise, before averting her gaze and smiling. "Very well, I'd like to join you. I'm very much looking forward to it. Although, I don't have any pajamas."

"You can probably borrow some of Sam's if you'd like," Hinata suggested.

"Alright," she met her gaze back with Hinata's and beamed, "It's going to be fun!"

For the remainder of the afternoon, Hinata and Namine hung out in the white room, talking about various things and occasionally sketching in the few remaining pages in Namine's sketchbook. Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set and Sam returned to the mansion, meeting Hinata and Namine in the foyer.

Sam's arms were full of shopping bags and she held some of them out for the girls to take as she asked, "So I take it we're on for the slumber party tonight?"

"Sure are," Hinata smiled as she peeked in the bags Sam had handed her and smiled warmly when she was greeted with a delicious scent of teriyaki chicken and fried rice. "You are my hero, bringing back dinner."

"Yeah, I know," Sam smugly replied. "I also bought Namine her sketchbook and got a ton of snacks for tonight."

"Thank you, Sam," Namine meekly spoke up as she reached into a bag and pulled out the thick light-blue sketchbook with a smile plain on her face.

"Sure thing!" Sam assured her as she already began walking towards the hall that led to the kitchen. "Let's eat dinner and then we can get start getting ready for the party."

"Good idea, I'm starving," Hinata agreed while she quickly walked along with Sam as Namine scurried behind them, clutching her sketchbook.

They situated themselves in the kitchen, sitting on the stools along the counter island as they ate their dinners.

"So where exactly are we going to have this thing?" Sam asked. "I only have a twin sized bed in my room and Ben and Jack have sort of claimed the other bedroom."

"But that's me and Riku's room when we travel," Hinata pointed out with a sigh. "But I guess there's no way to know when we'll ever use it again." She prodded at her food for a moment before suggesting, "We could settle in my room."

"No way," Sam quickly shot the proposition down with her mouth full of food. She swallowed, before adding, "Your room reeks of Riku; it smells the moment I open the door. No way I'm sleeping in that."

Hinata scoffed and grumbled, "You're talking like it smells bad."

"Speaking of which," Sam added, pointing at Hinata's shirt, "you better change your shirt. It smells like Riku, too."

Rolling her eyes, Hinata groaned, "Alright, fine."

Namine giggled from the banter, and offered, "I suppose we could stay in the room DiZ had made up for you, Hinata."

"That's true," Hinata realized. "I don't think I've even been in it once since I've gotten here."

"You have another room?" Sam asked.

Hinata chuckled awkwardly, "Yeah, DiZ didn't realize I would be sharing a room with Riku and had another room made up for me. It was the same one we were going to have you sleep in when we found out you were staying and before you decided to stay in the ship."

"Oh, then let's just sleep in there," Sam shrugged.

They each agreed as they continued to eat their dinners. When they were done, Namine followed Sam back to the ship to get some pajamas while Hinata went back to her room to find new clothes, per Sam's request. She came back out of her room wearing a tight pastel green tank top paired with soft light-yellow pants speckled with green polka dots. She waited outside the door of the other room, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

Finally having a moment alone, her lonely thoughts came back to her, making her tighten her hands around her arms. She lightly chewed her bottom lip as she thought back to her talk with Riku and all the conversations they had since he had been gone with Xion. Every one of them would always lead to them discussing Hinata's confinement to the mansion. She couldn't blame him for getting upset whenever she brought it up. Leaning her head back against the wall, she let out a wistful sigh and looked over when she heard the door leading into the hall open.

Sam walked in first, her pajamas loosely fitted: a thin long white tank with thick blue stripes across it and black shorts. Her arms were full of the snacks she had procured during her day out. Namine followed closely behind her, wearing a simple pastel pink ensemble of a long sleeved button up shirt and pants that reached to her ankles.

Hinata smiled at them and turned to open the bedroom door. The dusty air made her cough at first as she entered the bare room. A large queen sized bed covered with a fluffy thick gray comforter and neatly cased pillows was situated against the right side of the wall. Beside it was a simple bedside table with a lamp and a thin layer of dust covering the top of it. The rest of the room was empty of new furniture, and instead had random books and rubble swept to the edges of the walls.

"At least it doesn't smell like Riku," Sam quipped as she followed Hinata in and looked around. Reaching the foot of the bed, she laid out the snacks on the covers and then turned around, wiping her hands together as Namine closed the door behind them.

Namine snickered under her breath as Hinata simply scoffed and rolled her eyes. With a swipe of her hand, Hinata wiped off the dust from the bedside table and placed down her communication device right under the lamp. Then she sat on the bed and instantly leaned back, letting out a wistful sigh.

"This bed is insanely comfortable…" she admitted as she closed her eyes. "Ow!" she winced as Sam swatted her arm.

"Don't even think of falling asleep yet; you're the one that wanted to do this," Sam scolded her.

"It was your idea!" Hinata reminded her, sitting up and rubbing where Sam had smacked.

Namine giggled and meekly stepped forward. "I wanted to thank you both for inviting me to join you. I've never been a part of something like this before."

Both the girls looked back at Namine and smiled. "Don't worry about it," Sam assured her, waving it off. "Of course we'd invite you to girls' night."

"Well, still," Namine replied, tightly clasping her hands together. "I really appreciate it. I don't really get treated like a full person very often."

The corner of Sam's mouth twitched into a frown as she stared wordlessly at Namine, unsure of what to say. Hinata stood from the bed and walked over to Namine, giving her a hug.

"I know," Hinata told her as she hugged her. "And I'm sorry."

Namine hesitantly hugged Hinata back, still not accustomed to the gesture.

Hinata pulled back, keeping her hands on Namine's shoulders. "I promise we won't ever treat you like only half a person, because as far as we're concerned you're more than that."

"Yeah," Sam added, walking up to join them, "I don't care what DiZ says you are. You're a friend and that's all that matters."

Namine softly smiled at them, her eyes glistening with tears as she silently nodded.

They stood in silence for a moment before Sam cleared her throat and motioned back to the bed. "So-those snacks aren't going to eat themselves."

Hinata chuckled as she removed her hands from Namine's shoulders and went back to the bed. She climbed onto the covers, and grabbed a bag of cherry candy vines before leaning her back against the wall. Sam climbed in across from her, sitting at the foot of the bed, grabbing a handful of candy-coated chocolates as Namine situated herself on her knees, keeping her hands clasped in her lap rather than grabbing a snack.

Sam tossed a candy in her mouth, before speaking up, "Alright, ice-breaker-"

"Did you like schedule the entire night or something?" Hinata interrupted with a laugh.

"This is how slumber parties go," Sam defended. "Pajamas, snacks, silly stories! You never had these with Kairi when you were growing up or on the island?"

Namine smiled and looked over expectantly to Hinata as she shrugged, "Well, kind of. We shared a room, so we didn't really have these sort of things."

"But you would stay up late together sometimes," Namine spoke up, before quickly stammering, "I-I mean, right?"

Hinata smiled at the memory. "Yeah, we'd stay up late talking at least once a week. Especially once Riku and I started dating."

Namine's smile grew as she asked, "Do you have any fun stories about that?" When Hinata looked over at her questioningly, she clarified, "About when you and Riku started dating?"

"Oh yeah," Hinata replied with a laugh, picking up one of the cherry candy vines and biting off a piece of it. "He was a nervous wreck when we first started dating."

"How long were you guys dating before the island was destroyed?" Sam asked.

"Three months?" Hinata recalled. "It wasn't that long." She looked up towards the ceiling, lost in thought for a moment before telling them. "The whole three months though, he kept trying to take me on this perfect date," she chuckled. "But without fail, every single time we would go out, it would get messed up, whether it was just a sudden storm or the place he had thought he made reservations for was suddenly booked. I still don't know what he actually had planned for the so-called perfect date; no matter how much I begged him, he'd never tell me."

"What sort of places would he take you when the plans fell through?" Namine asked, getting more comfortable on the bed and finally reaching for a small chocolate chip cookie and nibbling on it.

"Where wouldn't he take me?" Hinata replied with an almost goofy smile on her face. "Um, our first date ended up being at the arcade, which was not at all by his choice. We were on the ferry to the next island and it suddenly started pouring rain! He wanted to just call the day quits and head home, but I wasn't ready, so I grabbed his hand once we reached the port and just went running; I ran into the first building that seemed interesting to me and it ended up being the arcade."

"Arcade?" Sam repeated. "Man, I haven't been to one of those places in years!"

"Where did you guys end up going for your second date, Hinata?" Namine inquired.

She looked over at Namine and chimed, "We went hiking actually! All the way up Mount Otemanu, and, gosh, the view up there was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. And that's saying something considering all the stuff we've seen since leaving the island."

"I used to go hiking with my family," Sam spoke up, leaning back on her hands.

"You did?" Hinata asked, "Where?"

"There's a floating island you have to take a freighter to," Sam explained. "It's covered with trees and if you can get to the top of it you can see miles and miles of Montressor along with all the ship traffic that goes on above." She snickered, "It sounds weird, but it was oddly beautiful to look at."

"Would it just be you and James?" Hinata asked as she reached forward for a cookie.

"Nah, it'd be my whole family," Sam replied with a sad smile. "That was all before Dad disappeared; he loved going on big family outings."

They fell to silence for a moment before Hinata slowly spoke up, "If-you don't mind me asking, what do you think happened to your dad?"

Sam frowned and downcasted her gaze to the snacks piled in the center of the bed. After taking a long breath, she shrugged, "I don't believe he just got killed by pirates, like James does. He was too smart to let a couple space pirates take him down, but… I also don't think he'd just get up and abandon us. He'd never talk about his family he grew up with or where he came from, so-maybe he went back there and for some reason wasn't able to come back." She looked back up and licked her lips, still keeping her eyes averted. "Either way though, once I get back to my galaxy, I want to go looking for him."

"I wish we'd be able to help you," Namine confessed, much to Sam's surprise.

Sam whipped her attention over to Namine, seeing the remorseful look in her eyes. With a soft smile, she assured her, "Don't worry about it. All the training and experience I've been getting here will be help enough."

"What brought this on?" Hinata asked, getting the others' attention. "I mean, you've never talked about wanting to go searching for him before."

Sam thought about it for a moment, bringing her knees to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them. "I-never really knew what I was capable of before… I always thought I was just some drop-out that was meant to run my dad's shop my whole life, but... " She looked up to Hinata and swallowed hard. "That all started changing after you left Montressor to head back to this galaxy. I saw how much you were doing and how far you were going even though you were barely a couple years older than me. I mean-" she breathily laughed, "honestly, even if I hadn't gotten burned, I probably still would've asked to come along with you. Granted, I probably wouldn't have tried stowing away when you said no, but I would have done something to change my life. So-uh, yeah-" she met her gaze with Hinata's, "thanks for showing me I could do more with myself."

Hinata's eyes were widened as her mouth slightly opened and closed a few times. "I-don't know what to say," she admitted, looking away and fixing her gaze on the pillow she was hugging in her arms. "I don't think I really had anything to do with it though. I think you would have eventually seen your potential even if we hadn't met."

Sam rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Geez, James was right: you don't know how to accept a compliment."

"I do too!" Hinata objected, looking back up at her before quipping, "The only reason I can't accept them from him is because he'll take it as a confession of love or something."

Sam snorted a laugh, causing the other girls to join in. They continued to talk amongst themselves, sharing various stories about their lives growing up. Namine mostly listened, occasionally asking questions and sharing little stories of her life at the mansion before Sam and Hinata came to live there. Eventually, they began having Hinata tell stories of her adventures after leaving the island. She got up from the bed and went to her room to retrieve her Journey Journal and, upon returning, the girls cleaned up most of the snacks so they could sit together to look at the pictures. She told them all about Wonderland, laughing at the memories and lamenting over the things she regretted before she moved on to Prydain. She turned the page of the book, to show the picture of herself standing a few feet from a orange-haired boy holding out a long tree branch. Her hair fell freely down her back, braided along the top, and she wore a long white dress that reached to her feet. Standing behind them was Riku, watching the ordeal with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

"This was when we first arrived to Prydain," Hinata explained to them. "We met this boy, Taran, that challenged me to a fight when he saw my blades. He had this idea that girls couldn't know how to fight, but within like two seconds into the fight he face planted in the mud, so-I proved my point."

"Did you usually embarrass random people you just met?" Sam asked with a laugh.

"No," Hinata laughed in turn, nudging Sam with her shoulder. "But I was a lot more sensitive back then-at least when it came to my fighting skills. So the smallest comment about me not knowing what I was doing would set me off." She shook her head and grinned, "Man, you should have heard Riku scold me about it after that."

"Did you help Taran out afterwards?" Namine inquired.

"Oh yeah," Hinata assured her, "He actually ended up being really important to the mission, or-at least, his pig was."

"What?" Sam asked with a laugh, "Oh wait, I think you mentioned that when you were first telling me about all this. Didn't it-" she stifled a laugh, "show you a vision of the future or something?"

Hinata opened her mouth to respond and immediately laughed, "Well yes, it sounds weird, but Hen Wen was actually a really special pig. And uh-actually, I was thinking of having Riku go back there to find her."

"Wait-" Sam stood up from the bed and turned to face her while placing her hands on her hips. "Go back to Prydain to find the pig?"

When Hinata nodded, Namine asked, "Why would you want him to find Hen Wen again?"

Hinata looked back down at the picture before admitting, "Well-I had this idea that maybe he could ask Hen Wen to show him my future, so we could possibly see if I'll be safe to leave the mansion or if the Organization will capture me."

The girls fell to silence and Hinata looked up at them, seeing both of them deep in thought.

After about a minute, Namine spoke up, "Can you be sure she'll show you the exact moment you are wanting to see? Like… what if it's something bad?"

"Then I won't leave the mansion," Hinata slowly replied, slightly tightening her grip around the book. "But at least I'd have an idea of what's going to happen rather than living here in fear."

"Can I go with him?" Sam asked, getting their attention. "I'd off to go by myself, but it would help to be there with someone that knows the world."

"I suppose you could ask him," Hinata replied. "Why do you want to go?"

Sam shrugged, "He might need backup. Plus, I'd like to see a future-telling pig for myself. Maybe I can ask it about my dad."

"Well, he's still thinking about it," Hinata told them. "I only brought it up to him this morning and he wasn't too keen on the idea."

"I'm gonna call him about it," Sam quickly said, reaching into her pajama shorts pocket and pulling out her device. "He wouldn't be asleep yet, right?"

"Probably not," Hinata closed her book and stood up. "But he asked me not to call him while he's gone with Xion since there's a lot of times he needs to be completely quiet or is really busy. I'll let him know you want to go along with him next time he calls."

Sam sighed and placed her communication device back in her pocket. "Alright, that works."

"In the meantime," Namine spoke up, "do you want to keep telling us about Prydain, Hinata?"

Hinata smiled back at Namine, "I can!"

"I'd like to know more," Sam agreed as she came back to the bed. "Let's clean off these snacks. I want to lie down."

They stashed the remaining snacks inside some plastic bags and placed them on the floor. Sam laid back on the bed, lacing her hands behind her head as she listened to Hinata's stories. Hinata sat at the foot of the bed, with her hands wrapped around her knees, as she talked. Namine sat across from her, beside Sam, with her hands clasped neatly in her lap as she listened with a sweet smile, occasionally inquiring further about Hinata's adventures.

Eventually, they each were becoming overcome with exhaustion and Hinata let out a large yawn as she finished recounting her time in Agrabah. She got under the covers, situated between Sam and Namine. It was a tight yet comfortable fit, and for the first time in a long time, Hinata felt completely at ease as her eyes easily slid closed.

"Hinata…?" Namine's soft voice, caused her to open her eyes.

She looked over, realizing that Namine had already switched off the lamp and the room was full of darkness, spare for a soft blue glow emanating from Sam's mechanical arm.

"What is it?" Hinata asked with a whisper.

"Well," Namine slowly spoke with a hushed voice, "I noticed the glow from the crystal in Sam's arm and I realized that I haven't seen your tattoo glow in quite some time."

"That's true," Sam agreed, joining in on the conversation. She slightly sat up, the light from her arm shining a bit brighter as it escaped the cover of the blanket. "I haven't seen it glow since I got to Twilight Town."

Hinata swallowed hard, trying to figure out what to say. "I-guess, I haven't really thought about it," she confessed. "As far as I know, it only glows when I'm using my powers or I'm feeling like, an extreme emotion: like anger, love, or something like that. And… since being stuck here I haven't really felt any of those things. I mean- I have felt love, obviously, but… maybe not in a powerful enough way to make it glow?"

"Hmm…" Namine hummed in thought. "Perhaps… it's because of you've been confined to the mansion."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"I mean, you haven't really been happy these past couple of months," Sam spoke up, adding on to Namine's idea. "Maybe being depressed is suppressing the other emotions that would normally make your tattoo glow."

"That's… comforting," Hinata whispered, letting out a breath as she stared up at the ceiling. "I didn't realize being stuck here would have such an effect on me."

Namine turned towards her and wrapped her arms around Hinata's left arm. "Riku will figure it out. I'm sure he'll go find Hen Wen for you…" Her voice trailed off, before she added with an even softer voice, "We won't be stuck here forever."

A sudden bout of emotion rose in Hinata's heart. She licked her lips and closed her eyes as she moved her right hand and placed it over Namine's, giving it a light squeeze.

"Let's just get some sleep," Sam told them, turning her back to them as she snuggled into her pillow. "We can talk about it more tomorrow."

"You're right. Goodnight," Namine whispered.

Hinata smiled as she moved her hand from Namine to rest over her heart. "Goodnight…" With both of her friends at her sides, she fell into a peaceful slumber within minutes.

A low rumble of a vibrating device, startled Hinata's awake. Her eyes shot open, instantly squinting from the sunlight that poured in from the window. With a sleepy groan, she shook her head and looked over to the bedside table, seeing her communication device glowing and vibrating. Her heart jumped as she moved to sit up, but realized quickly that she couldn't move that easily as both Sam and Namine were snuggled against her, pinning her from either side. Freeing her arm from Namine's grip, she reached over her, barely able to reach the communication device and bring it in front of her. She glanced at her sleeping friends with an apologetic expression before pressing the center button on her device, bringing up Riku's blue hologram, instantly making her smile.

"Good morning," she greeted with a hushed voice, suddenly wondering just how disheveled she looked having just woken up.

"Hey," he replied with a smile. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah, but it's fine," she assured him. "I just have to be quiet since Namine and Sam are next to me. We, sort of, had a slumber party last night."

He chuckled, "I'm glad. You certainly needed something fun. But-uh, I actually called to tell you a couple pretty important things. I tried calling Namine, too, but since she's with you, she must have left her communication device in her room."

"Oh," Hinata realized, slightly nudging beside her, "Hey-Namine?"

"Hmm?" Namine fluttered her eyes open and looked up at Hinata with a dreamy expression. She glanced over, noticing Riku's hologram and gasped, quickly scrambling to sit up, "Oh, Riku! Did you need something?" She yawned on the last word, despite trying to seem awake.

Riku couldn't help from slightly smirking from seeing Namine in such an uncommon, sleepy state. "Um-yeah," he told her. "Sorry to wake you guys up, but I have some news about Xion."

He looked over and nodded. Then a girl wearing an Organization cloak walked up beside Riku, her hologram appearing. She was considerably shorter than Riku with a petite frame. Her dark hair was short and framed around her face, similarly to how Kairi's hair was styled. She nervously looked at the two girls on the other side of the call and meekly waved her gloved hand.

"H-hello," she greeted with a soft voice. "I'm… Xion." She looked up at Riku, seeing him smiling back at her, which made a small smile grow on her own face. Taking a deep breath, she looked back at the girls and spoke with a bit more confidence. "I-want to come to the mansion to meet with Namine."

Hinata's heart immediately lurched, but she strained a smile as Namine spoke. "Oh, that's wonderful! I'd love to meet you! There's so many things for us to discuss."

"We'll be there in about an hour," Riku told her. "Can you be ready by then?"

"Yes, of course!" Namine assured him, her voice a bit loud as Sam sleepily grumbled and sat up.

She stared at the hologram of Riku and Xion for a moment. "Who's that..?" she asked with a quiet groggy voice.

"Xion," Hinata whispered.

"Oh," she replied with a yawn before lying back down.

"And while Xion's meeting with Namine-" Riku continued, not paying much mind to Sam's interruption, "I'll be going to Prydain."

Sam immediately shot up again as Hinata's eyes widened. "You mean you're going?" Hinata exclaimed. "What changed your mind?"

He smirked. "If you think it will help, I can put up with going back to that place for a little while. I called DiZ last night and got it approved and everything."

A grin grew across Hinata's face. "Thank you!"

"I want to go with you," Sam interrupted the moment. "Would that be alright?"

Riku slightly frowned but shrugged, "Sure, whatever. We need to take the ship for the magic drive, it'll be important we blend in there, so get the ship ready to go before I get there."

"Will do," Sam nodded. "Thanks."

"Does DiZ know you're bringing Xion here?" Namine asked.

Riku shook his head, "No, he doesn't. So we'll have to get her in quick and Hinata," she looked up at him, "you'll have to distract him when Namine brings Xion to see Sora."

Hinata frowned but nodded, "Alright, I can do that."

"I know you can," he smiled reassuringly at her. "Alright, we'll be there in an hour. See you soon."

"A-and, thank you for going through all this trouble for me," Xion quickly added. "Riku told me everything you guys have been doing."

"Of course!" Namine chimed when Hinata couldn't find the words to say. "We are happy to."

"See you soon," Riku said again before cutting the call.

The moment the hologram disappeared, Namine got out of the bed and straightened her pajamas as Hinata sat there stunned and Sam lied back down.

"It's… actually happening," Hinata whispered. "Xion's actually coming here…" She looked up to Namine. "Will you be alright?"

Namine paused and looked over at Hinata with a frown. "I'll admit, I'm not looking forward to what I have to do… but, this is the best way to do it. And in the end, Xion is agreeing to it, so we shouldn't have anything to feel bad about."

"What's going to happen to her?" Sam asked, lying on her back.

"She needs to give her memories back to Sora," Namine explained. "But… since his memories are so intertwined with her own, she has to give up her entire being to do so…"

Sam slowly sat up and looked between Hinata and Namine. "So… basically she's coming here to die?"

"It was either that or have Riku kill her himself," Hinata admitted with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "So… Riku convinced her to come here by her own free will."

Sam averted her gaze from them. "Well, that makes a lot more sense why he's been gone with her for so long… Damn…"

"Yeah…" Hinata agreed with a quiet voice.

Namine took a deep breath, "But it will bring us one step closer to awakening Sora, plus… she's a Nobody-" she looked towards the door. "She isn't technically supposed to exist in the first place, right?" Before Sam or Hinata could respond, she quickly looked back to them and forced a small smile. "I better go get ready." She went to the door and left the room, leaving Sam and Hinata behind.

"This is messed up…" Sam spoke up with a soft voice once Namine left.

"I know-" Hinata agreed. "I'm sorry I didn't properly explain it earlier. I've been trying not to think about it."

"Oh-no, it's fine," Sam waved her off. "I get it… I'm sort of glad I didn't know." They fell to a tense silence for a moment before Sam began getting up from the bed. "Well-uh, I should probably go get ready and start up the ship."

Hinata wordlessly nodded as Sam left the room. She stared down at the communication device clasped in her hands, remembering Xion standing beside Riku in the hologram. She was so young and innocent with the way she meekly spoke and looked to Riku for support when she was nervous. A lump began forming in Hinata's throat, recalling Xion's round eyes that looked almost identical to Kairi's. Everything about her, from her looks to stature, and even the way she spoke reminded Hinata of Kairi. And here she was, willingly sending her to her death.

Taking in a shaking breath, Hinata closed her eyes and clenched her hand around the communication device. She pushed herself to stand and walked out of the bedroom, going to her own room to get ready. As she grabbed her clothes for the day and escaped to the restroom, she forced her thoughts to focus on Riku going back to Prydain for her.

Within the next half-hour, she reemerged from the bathroom with her pajamas crumbled under her arm. Her hair was thickly braided down her back, with a simple teal headband keeping the loose strands out of her face. A matching teal sleeveless shirt reached down to her hips, the shoulder straps crisscrossed over her collarbone, meeting together behind her neck. She fastened a golden buckled belt around her jaded green pants with satchels secured along the sides that contained her journal along with various glass vials filled with potions. Pulling on a cropped tan jacket with dusty-blue lining, she walked out of her room and made her way back out to the foyer.

Her footsteps echoed through the vast empty room as she entered. A rising tension filled the air as Hinata looked up to see Namine entering the mansion from the back garden. She was back in her simple white dress, with her fair blonde hair falling over her shoulder. Her walk slowed as she noticed Hinata and she strained a smile.

"Hello, Hinata," she greeted as she approached, keeping her hands clasped in front of her. "I trust you are doing well?"

Hinata scoffed, "You don't need to pretend you're doing fine, Namine." Letting out a breath, she turned to look towards the front double doors, just waiting for Riku to push them open with Xion in tow. Her and Namine stared at it in silence for a couple minutes, before Hinata spoke up again. "You know- I hope you don't actually believe what you said earlier…" She noticed Namine look over at her, and she clarified, "Just because Nobodies aren't supposed to exist doesn't give them any less of a right to want to stay alive. The universe is filled with accidents, but not all of them are bad ones. Sometimes the best things in life happen from them." She met her gaze with Namine's. "Right?"

Namine stared back at her in silence, a glaze of emotion in her eyes. Swallowing, she wordlessly nodded and looked away, not trusting herself to talk without breaking down.

They stood in silence as they waited for the long minutes to pass until Riku would return with Xion. Sam entered the foyer to join them, informing them that the ship was completely ready for takeoff the minute Riku returned. She created small spurts of conversation with Hinata, but Namine remained silent, her gaze fixed on the door, until, finally, the door swung open.

Riku walked in with Xion right behind him, her hood up to conceal her face. Everyone was silent as they entered. Xion glanced up at Riku and he motioned his head towards Namine. Giving him a nod, she walked up to Namine and stopped in front of her.

Namine took in a sharp breath and smiled, "Right this way." She turned and led up the stairs to her white room with Xion in tow.

Riku looked over to Sam, who was watching Xion with a frown. "Is the ship ready?" he asked.

She turned back to him and nodded, "Yeah, it's ready to take off whenever you are."

"Go start the engines, I'll be right there," he told her, hinting her to leave.

Sam looked between him and Hinata before nodding and running outback. As the doors closed behind her, Riku walked forward and pulled Hinata into a tight embrace. Hinata's emotions simultaneously erupted as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

"It's going to be alright," he whispered in her hair as she softly sobbed. "Everything's working out."

She nodded, trying to regain her composure. "You're right… I just…" Her voice broke.

"I know…" he assured her, kissing her temple before pulling back and looking at her tear-stained face. He sweetly smiled as he looked her over and used his thumb to wipe away her tears as she leaned into his touch.

"Thank you for doing this…" she whispered, meeting her gaze up with his. "I'm sorry for making you do it."

He breathily laughed as he leaned forward and gave her a short yet passionate kiss. "You aren't making me doing anything," he soothed. "I want to do this for you." He kissed her forehead before resting his own forehead against hers for a moment. "I need to get going."

"I know," she nodded, placing her hand over his.

"It shouldn't take us long. It's less than an hour ride from here," he informed her. "We should be back in a day, tops. Then I'll be here with you again, alright?"

"Yeah," she agreed with her voice shaking, but clearing it, she tried again with a stronger voice. "I'll be fine. Just be careful out there."

"I will," he assured her, giving her another quick kiss, before releasing her and running outside to the ship.

She turned and watched him get onto the ship. The minute he was aboard, the ship lifted off the ground and they were off. Letting out a long breath, she looked up to Namine's room before glancing over to the other side of the second floor where DiZ's office resided. Swallowing hard, she went up the stairs and headed there to do her part of the mission.

As she walked down the stairs leading into the metal rooms below, her heart twisted with anxiety. Shaking it off, she pressed the button beside DiZ's office, sliding the door open. She slowly entered the dark room, seeing DiZ working away on his computers. He paused as she entered and turned around in his chair to face her.

"Hinata," he greeted, "this is a surprise. To what do I owe this visit?"

"Oh-uh, I just wanted to check in," she crossed her arms to keep herself from fidgeting and shifted her weight. "Um, Riku and Sam just left for Prydain… Thank you for letting them go there."

DiZ smirked. "I believe a vision into your future would prove most helpful. I was not aware you had discovered an oracular pig on your travels."

"Yeah, honestly, I had forgotten about it," she admitted, feeling her heart racing in her chest. "It's been a long time since I was there."

"Indeed it has," he agreed. "Over a year, if I recall Riku's words correctly. He called me last night and discussed the details with me."

"I heard," she replied, lightly kicking the floor.

DiZ nodded and waited for her to say more, yet when she didn't, he inquired. "Was there something else?"

"Oh, I-uh, was wondering if maybe, you'd want to take a walk through the garden outside with me?" She grated out the question, meeting her gaze with his before quickly averting it.

"A walk outside?" he repeated with complete surprise.

"Y-yeah, well, we're both shut inside all day, I thought a walk outside might, you know, do both of us some good."

DiZ barely smiled before he turned back to his screens and looked them over. "I suppose I can leave my work for a short while."

"Great!" Hinata smiled, tightening her hands around her arms as she stepped back.

DiZ stood from his seat and walked with her out of his office. Hinata silently side-glanced at him as they went out to the foyer, seeing a faint smile on his face. Having him walking leisurely beside her felt somewhat familiar to her, as if suddenly he was no longer the DiZ she thought she had known, but someone else entirely. She brushed the thought away as they went down the stairs in the foyer, leading to the first floor. She looked up towards Namine's room, silently hoping everything was going according to plan with Xion. Looking away, she jogged forward and opened the glass door leading outside, letting DiZ out first.

DiZ squinted from the bright sunlight and looked around the garden. "It is rather odd to see a garden out here," he admitted. "You have done a admirable job upkeeping it."

Hinata nervously chuckled, "Oh, that's mostly Namine's doing, honestly. I only do what she tells me I need to do out here."

"Hmm…" DiZ walked towards a tall sunflower and examined its features. "I know you think I am hard on her-" he spoke up, noticing Hinata whip her attention to him. "I am only doing what is best. Namine's powers must be contained. She was a rather different being before you met her. She is the sole reason Sora is in that slumbering chamber below."

"She was being forced into it," Hinata pointed out, warily eyeing him that he was actually being open with her. "She isn't like that anymore. The same way Riku isn't who he used to be. People change."

"I agree people change," he conceded. "However, Nobodies are different beings entirely-unpredictable and manipulative whenever they choose to be. I will admit that Namine is different from other Nobodies, but that doesn't mean she won't fall into the same patterns."

Hinata stared up at him with a frown. "What did the Organization do to you?"

DiZ barely turned his head to look at her. "Many things."

"Like?" she pried, as she walked around the garden.

"They took everything from me," he confessed, much to Hinata's surprise. "I had nothing left and was cast into darkness. It took me eight years to find my way out."

"Eight… years?" she slowly repeated, looking him over. "Who-were you before?"

DiZ paused for a moment, as if considering what to disclose. Shaking his head, he shortly told her, "No one of importance."

"But-" she began to object.

"I believe I have been gone from my work long enough," he abruptly cut her off, turning away. "There is much for me to do."

"Oh, but, we should stay out here!" Hinata moved to intercept him, "There's still so much of the garden we haven't walked through yet."

DiZ stared at her ponderously for a moment, examining her worried expression before frowning sternly. "Where is Xion?"

Hinata's eyes widened as her heart dropped to the floor, and she stammered, "Wh-what?"

"Riku was away this past month, no doubt on a secret endeavor for Xion, yet suddenly returns today for another mission," he pieced together. "Thus, you must have been tasked with distracting me while Namine makes her final preparations for whatever plan she has created." When Hinata didn't reply right away, he asked, "Is that correct?"

She bit the inside of her cheek, "Well-you're not… wrong?"

DiZ immediately scowled and rushed past Hinata, going back inside the mansion and ignoring Hinata's pleas to stop. To her surprise, he rushed back to his office rather than Namine's room. As he came back to his desk, he began scolding her.

"As much good you believe you are doing, in the end you are only causing more disruption and delay to awakening Sora." He turned towards her. "You are lucky that this situation has worked in your favor, but operating missions without my knowledge is strictly forbidden and will not be allowed to occur again!"

Hinata opened her mouth to object but then paused and cocked her head to the side, "Wait, so- you're okay with Namine talking with Xion and bringing her to Sora?"

DiZ unusually sighed, "That is not the point I am attempting to make." He turned back around to face his computers. "However, yes, according to the information I have gathered from Namine, Xion's memories are required to awaken Sora and having her giving them willingly, makes the process easier."

"Thank you, that's what I thought," she replied almost proudly before rubbing her hand behind her neck and letting out a breath of relief. "Well, then, cool, because Namine's going to be bringing Xion in here in a few minutes. So, don't freak out or anything."

DiZ chuckled in response, "As you wish." He moved to sit down in his seat, but then froze.

Hinata noticed him pause, "What's wrong?"

"Impossible…" he whispered as he quickly began typing on the keyboard, causing one of the screens to zoom in on a long string of code.

"What, what is it?" Hinata asked again, walking forward to get a better look at what seemed like a foreign language to her.

"The Organization is on its way here…" he told her, as he furiously typed away. "That damned puppet led them here!"

"W-what?!" Hinata exclaimed. "Wait, how can you be sure?"

"This is why you never should have trusted her!" he turned and sternly scolded her. "There is an extreme rise in Corridors headed here! They will be here in mere minutes."

"But, wait-" Hinata began to reply, but was cut short when DiZ disappeared in a sudden Corridor. "DiZ!" she yelled to where he had vanished. She ran out of the office, back out to the foyer, seeing no one there. "DiZ!" she yelled again, scowling when she didn't get a a deep breath, she shook her head, "Alright, the Organization's almost here-I've got this." She ran to her room, grabbing her dagger gauntlets from her wardrobe and gun from its holster.

She was about to leave the room, when she noticed her communication device. Picking it up, she pressed the center button, attempting to call Riku. The ring pulsated as it connected and, ever so faintly, a phasing hologram of Riku and Sam appeared, yet they seemed to be in the midst of a battle.

"H-nat-" Riku's voice barely came through, his hologram and voice flickering in and out, "Wh-go-on?"

"The Organization is on its way here," she quickly blurted out. "And DiZ is freaking out, thinking that Xion is the one that led them here. I'm going to try to go out there and hold them off, but I really need you or Sam here to help."

"I can-yo-" Riku replied, his words barely audible. "Thi-...goi-mo…." The call cut off.

Hinata stared blankly at her device as it never had problems with connection. With a huff of breath, she placed the device into her side satchel and ran back out to the foyer to see Xion running down the stairs towards the front door. Hinata gasped and sprinted forward, blocking the exit.

"W-wait!" Hinata pleaded. "What are you doing?"

"I led them here!" Xion yelled, reaching out her hand and summoning a Keyblade. "I have to take care of it!"

"But you can't!" Hinata retorted. "Let me take care of it, go with Namine to Sora!"

"No! I know the Organization wants you," Xion shook her head, placing her hand over where her heart should be. "I can't let you sacrifice yourself for me. I brought them here, I will handle it."

"Let her go!" DiZ called out, appearing from a sudden Corridor beside Hinata. He grabbed her arm and tugged her back, allowing Xion to go through.

"No, Xion!" Hinata cried, pulling herself free from DiZ. She reached for the door, but DiZ pulled her back and stood in front of the door. Hinata scowled and yelled, "Let me out there! She can't handle them by herself!"

"The Organization has no knowledge of you being here, and I intend to keep it that way!" DiZ yelled back with a booming voice. "That puppet never should have been brought here!"

"Do you have any idea how much work Riku had to go through to even get Xion to consider coming here?" Hinata cried, angry tears stung the corners of her eyes as her tattoo shone brilliantly. Pointing outside, she added, "You let the Organization take Xion back and you're erasing everything he did!"

"It shouldn't have been done in the first place!" DiZ barked. "It was done without my knowledge!"

"You want to know why we went behind your back?" she snapped back. "Because you're reckless! You don't care what happens to anyone as long as it somehow leads to you defeating the Organization, and we're sick of it! You want to take down the Organization? Fine! But don't pull a bunch of teenagers in to do your dirty work!" Reaching out her hand beside her, she summoned a spiral of water. "Now I'm going out there, and you are not going to stop me!"

"Hinata!" Namine called out to her from the second floor. "Hinata, stop!"

"Namine, stay out of this!" Hinata yelled back, not averting her gaze from DiZ.

Namine ran in front of DiZ and faced Hinata, holding out her arms protectively at her sides. "Don't do this! It's not worth it."

"Not worth it!?" Hinata exclaimed. "Do you even see what's going on?"

"If Riku were here, he'd say the same thing," Namine pointed out with a firm yet kind voice. "We can get Xion back, but if you go out there and get caught, there's nothing we can do. So, please-don't do this."

Hinata shook her head and put her hand down, releasing the spiral of water and allowing it to splash to the ground. She turned to leave, but stopped short and pointed at DiZ. "The moment Sora is awake, I'm through. You don't get to run our lives anymore, got it?"

DiZ stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding, his calm demeanor returned. "As you wish…"


	36. Back to the Darkness

Chapter 36

***Recap: Riku returned to the mansion with Xion and brought her to speak privately with Namine. As they spoke, he left for a mission back to Prydain with Sam to seek out a future-seeing pig named Hen Wen and ask for a vision of Hinata's future.***

Sam revved up the engines of the ship the moment Riku came aboard the deck. Strong chilling winds swirled around them as they lifted into the air and left the atmosphere. Ben worked beside Sam at the control station, using his long metal fingers to quickly click through the navigation options and set their course for Prydain while humming a happy tune to himself, brimming with the excitement of finally being able to go on another mission.

Riku leaned against the railing of the ship, staring down at Twilight Town shrinking below them with a stern expression on his face. He flinched when he felt a sudden moist tongue slide against his cheek, and looking over, he saw Jack floating beside him with his bony tail wildly wagging. Riku broke the slightest hint of a smile as he reached up and scratched Jack behind the ears before wiping away the dog slobber from his face.

"We should be arriving in less than thirty minutes," Sam informed him as she walked up to join him. Leaning back against the railing and facing him, she added, "I don't really know why we took the ship. The world seems close enough to use your dark portal thing."

"It is," he shortly nodded. "But we need the magic drive of the ship to change our clothes when we get there. We'll need to be able to blend in."

"Won't the black coats keep us hidden?" she asked, crossing her arms and shutting one of her eyes as Jack floated over and licked her cheek.

"Yeah, but we don't want to be hidden, necessarily," he explained. "Just blending in enough where we won't look out of place."

"Well alright," she accepted his answer. "What sort of world is this Prydain?"

"A lot of trees," he recalled. "And little to no technology, but a lot of magic and enchanted stuff."

"Oh," she simply replied. "So sort of like the forest around the mansion?"

He wordlessly nodded, staring out at the stars around them. The world was so close that they didn't need to fully accelerate the FTL Drive to get there in a half hour, so the stars were still sparkling specks that covered the black space rather than the long white streaks they had grown accustomed to when flying from world to world.

Realizing he wasn't in the mood for talking, Sam fell to silence and looked around the ship. Jack had left their sides and was bounding around the ship, enjoying being back in space almost as much as Ben, who was still strumming away at the controls with a hummed tune that grew louder with every minute.

"Why did you want to come along?" Riku unexpectedly inquired after a few minutes.

Sam glanced over at him shortly, before averting her attention back forward. "I… wanted to ask that pig about my dad…"

Riku was silent for a moment before asking, "What about him?"

Sam inhaled deeply, before speaking, "Did Hinata ever tell you what happened to my dad?" She glanced at Riku, seeing him shake his head, then shifted her weight as she turned her gaze back to the shimmering stars. "About two years ago, my dad went out on his solar ship; he used to go out on joyrides every couple months and would just fly around for a few days before coming back home, but that time… he never came back…" She slightly tightened her grip around her arms.

"...I'm sorry," he softly spoke. "I didn't know."

She shook her head, "It's alright. I mean, not really, but what are you going to do, right?" She sighed before continuing, "Anyways, after a couple weeks, we started to get really worried and it didn't help that some of my dad's workers at the shop started telling us he probably just abandoned us. It wasn't long after that, that my mom started getting super depressed and locked herself away in her room. Then James started going on about how Dad was probably killed by space pirates or something since he'd never actually abandon us… but…" She shook her head, noticing Riku looking over at her as she admitted, "I can't believe he got taken down by pirates. And I don't believe he just abandoned us either…"

"What do you believe?" he asked.

She was silent for a moment, thinking it over, before confessing, "I don't really know, honestly. Maybe he got stuck in a similar situation as Hinata: got stuck on a planet and then couldn't leave because of the border, and… maybe he doesn't know the border went down. I mean," she shrugged, "that's possible, isn't it?"

"Depends on how far he went on his joyride and the timing of everything," Riku replied, lightly digging his finger against the wood in the railing as he brought his gaze back to the stars. "But yeah, it's possible."

"So, that's why I want to see if that pig can tell me anything," she finished explaining, "at least give me some closure if nothing else."

"Yeah…" he mumbled softly.

They fell into silence for a minute before Sam let out a long sigh and pushed herself off the railing with an awkward, breathy laugh, "Well-uh, now you know... Good talk." She patted him on the shoulder and walked away, heading below deck for the few remaining minutes of the ride.

Riku looked after her as she disappeared down the stairs with a frown on his face, but didn't say anything as he turned his attention back to the space surrounding them, taking every little detail of it in.

"So," Ben spoke up with his trademark cheery voice, "we're going on this mission for what now?"

The corners of Riku's mouth tipped into a smirk as he replied, "For Hinata; we're looking for a pig that can give visions of the future so we can see if she can safely leave the mansion."

Ben nearly gasped as he ran over to Riku. "Oh, really?" he asked in a fanciful tone as he clasped his metal hands by the side of his face. "You mean, we might be able to go out on the ship regularly again? And she'll be able to come, too?"

Riku's smirk slightly grew as he nodded, "Yeah, but it depends on what the vision shows, or if it even shows the right thing at all. But Hinata thought it was worth checking out, so here we are."

"I'm sure the vision will show good things!" Ben replied, his voice still dreamy as he patted Jack on the head as he floated by. "Hinata is very capable! She can handle whatever that Organization throws at her."

"She can handle a lot," Riku agreed, his frown returning as he added, "but even together, we wouldn't be able to take on the entire Organization."

Ben looked at Riku for a moment before commenting, "It doesn't seem like you have a lot of faith in the vision being good."

"It's not that," he admitted with a sigh. "I just don't know how a vision can assure us she'll be safe."

"Well, I know one thing," Ben pulled himself up to sit on the railing, his long, thin legs dangling in front of him. "Hinata isn't the type of person that can handle being stuck in one place for long. You should have seen her on Bentopia." He swatted his hand and laughed as he recalled, "She was complaining about being bored and wanting to get out within the first day I let her stay at my house, and she was so injured, she could barely move!"

Riku chuckled. "Yeah, that sounds like her."

"Can I go with you to the planet?" Ben asked, getting Riku to look up at him surprised. "I'd like to see the vision for myself! And I can even record it so you can show it to Hinata later!"

Riku slightly averted his gaze as he mulled it over, and then nodded. "Alright, but you'll need to follow my orders if we run into any trouble, alright?"

Ben jumped up from the railing, landing right beside Riku as he saluted, "Yes'sir! I'll be the best behaved robot there ever was! And I'm much more capable than you might believe!" He posed proudly and pointed upwards. "I was, after all, a navigator for the notorious Captain Flint. I still have a few tricks up these rusty old sleeves."

"Just don't try anything too drastic," Riku told him, almost regretting his decision to allow him to tag along. "And don't run off, either."

Holding up his far left copper finger, Ben exclaimed, "I pinky promise! That's something I learned on Montressor when I helped out at the Benbo Inn! You wrap your pinkies together and no matter what, the promise can't be broken."

Riku stared at Ben's outstretched finger for a moment before shaking his head and looking away, "Yeah, I'm not doing that…"

"Oh…" Ben replied sadly, slightly lowering his finger as his eyes began to glow a somber blue.

Ben was brought out of his depression as he noticed the ship beginning to slow. His blue eyes instantly blinked back to their bright yellow and he skipped back to the control panel. "We've just arrived! We'll be ready to beam down in a couple minutes!"

"Alright, thanks," Riku told him as he finally stood from the railing. "I'll go get Sam."

He turned to head below deck, but was surprised when he saw Sam coming up the steps, with her staff already holstered at her side and a long twined necklace draped from her neck; it had a simple white rectangular charm with a thick blue stripe down the center.

Sam noticed Riku's gaze on her necklace; she reached up her hand to grab the charm before explaining, "It used to be a hair piece my dad had given me before he disappeared, but it broke during Axel's, uh, 'visit' to Montressor." Clearing her throat she added, "So, I just decided to make it into a necklace instead."

Riku slowly nodded and looked up at her, changing the subject completely. "Well, we're here. You ready to go down?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," she replied as she walked to the railing to look down at the planet below.

From the ship, she could barely see past the thick gray clouds that surrounded the world and when she could peek through the holes, she only saw spurts of green mixed with white along its surface.

"Did it always look like this?" she asked.

Riku walked up beside her and shook his head. "No, but it was a different time of year when Hinata and I came here. It's probably just snow."

"Huh," Sam smirked, "I can't remember the last time I saw snow. Hardly ever snows on Montressor."

"Yeah, " Riku agreed as he double checked to see if he had everything he needed. "It hardly ever snowed back on the island either. Only on the mountains."

"So this should be interesting," Sam shivered, just at the thought. "Sure hope the magic drive knows the weather."

"Me too," he concurred, before suddenly turning around. "Actually, I need to grab something before we head down." Without waiting for Sam to reply, he went below deck and reappeared moments later wearing a strange necklace around his neck.

"What is that?" Sam asked as she fully turned around from the railing and examined the green pendant hanging from the long chain. She stared at a soft glowing light in the center of the pendant, which almost seemed as if it were pulsating with power.

"Some sort of summoning charm," Riku explained. "I got it from someone I met here last time. I doubt I'll need to use it, but better safe than sorry."

"Huh," Sam noted as she continued to stare at it. "Wasn't from a girl, was it?" she glanced up at him with a smirk.

He scoffed, "You really think I would have accepted it if it was?"

"Not if Hinata had anything to say about it," she snickered in response.

"Alright! Ready for landing!" Ben chimed with Jack happily floating by his side.

Without waiting for their reply, he pressed a large button on the control board, instantly covering all of them with a bright light and vanishing them from the ship. An icy wind ambushed them the moment they were on the surface. They opened their eyes to find themselves in a winter wonderland. The snow that covered the ground as far as they could see was glistening from the soft sunlight that shone through the clouds, and the tall trees, bare of leaves, were covered with icicles that distortedly reflected the world around them. Jack instantly let out a string of barks as he bounded headfirst into the snow repeatedly, sending piles of icy puffs into the air behind him.

Sam held out her hand, catching a few falling snowflakes in her gloved palm. She tore her eyes away from the scene around her and looked down at her own outfit. Thick royal purple gloves covered her hands, all the way up to her forearms and meeting with the long sleeves of her gray dress that hugged her form before falling loosely from her hips. All of it was mostly hidden under a wool cape clasped above her chest, that was a deep dark purple which almost appeared black without the light. Its oversized hood shielded her head from the falling snow as the loose, excess fabric pooled around her shoulders before draping down her sides to the bottom of her dress. Underneath everything were thick snow boots, sharing the same purple hue as the cape. She peeked under the cape, and smiled that her necklace was still hanging comfortably from her neck.

She looked back up, and noticed Riku standing a few feet away from her. A long navy blue cape was wrapped around his shoulders, fastened with a pair of gold buttons over a thick sleeveless gray-blue tunic. Underneath was a tight, olive-green shirt with sleeves reaching down to his wrists that were covered with dark brown gloves. His pants were loose and gray, tucking into knee high boots that were the same exact color as the olive green shirt. Sam looked up at his face, noticing his long silver hair loosely tied back.

"Wow…" Sam breathed out as she looked back down at her own outfit and held out the sides of her cape. "That magic drive isn't messing around."

"I know, right?" Ben agreed, causing both Sam and Riku to turn to look at him.

"What the hell?" Sam breathed, stepping forward in disbelief and kneeling down in the snow.

In front of her stood a short copper robot that barely reached above her knee. Its body was a cylindrical boiler with a metal pipe protruding from its back where small puffs of smoke were chuffing out its top. The head was a similar shape with a coned top that was flattened out at the tip. Two round eyes shone like small, bright lanterns and a seam was riveted between them, buttoning straight down the face to what seemed like a mouth, which made up the bottom half of the head. The arms and legs were thick and clunky, giving a slight shake when they moved.

Small horizontal shutters slowly closed over the round eyes, before reopening in a slow blink as the robot opened its mouth. "Isn't this great? I've never been in a different body before!"

Sam's mouth fell agape when she heard Ben's voice escape from the tiny robot in front of her. Riku came up beside her and also knelt down, looking Ben's new body over.

"I wasn't expecting you to change, too," Riku admitted, while Sam struggled to find her voice. "You didn't change when you went to Atlantis."

"Probably because the Atlanteans have machinery like me, and here on Prydain I would have stood out too much!" Ben surmised as he looked down at his new body and held out his hands. "Regardless of the reason, I feel like a new me!"

He looked forward, past Riku and Sam, seeing Jack bounding through the snow. With a slight hop, he ran forward, toddling past the others to get his friend's attention. Jack paused his antics and looked over, happily barking as he floated down to Ben, their heights almost similar.

"We're finally the same size!" Ben chimed, patting his large hand on Jack's head, a bit harder than he intended from the heavier weight.

"Well I certainly wasn't expecting that," Sam commented to Riku as she stood back up straight. "Especially not for him to change size so much."

"Yeah," Riku agreed, standing as well as he watched Jack and Ben chase each other in the snow, circling them. "But at least at this height he won't stand out as much."

He looked around, realizing they were standing in the same spot he and Hinata had beamed down to the first time they had come to Prydain. The creek that had once babbled beside them on his last visit was frozen solid, and beyond it Riku could spot Taran's farm. The straw roof was covered with ice crystals and the windows in the stone walls were shut tight. But at the entrance, Riku noticed that the door was broken down, the top half barely clasped to the doorway as the rest was splintered on the ground.

"Something isn't right…" Riku mumbled before sniffing the air. "There's darkness here."

Sam frowned. "And you can tell that how exactly?"

He looked over to her and explained, "I can smell it; darkness has this distinct stench that's hard to miss."

Sam sniffed and shook her head, "I don't smell anything except maybe the trees."

"Last I checked you've never fallen into darkness," he replied, holding out his hand and summoning Soul Eater. "So you can't really be expected to know what it's supposed to smell like."

"Fair enough," she shrugged, accepting his answer.

"I don't know where it is, but there's a ton of darkness here; we need to be careful." Riku looked back to the others and told them, "Stay close, alright? I'm going to check out that house."

Ben and Jack immediately ceased their play and nodded to Riku as they came back to him. Riku looked to Sam, making sure she was ready before he began walking forward, leading the way to Taran's home.

Sam reached to her sheath, pulling out her staff as she followed close behind, looking around at the winter scenery that surrounded them. Not a single animal or bird could be heard or seen around them, giving the entire area an eerie silence. Riku bent down as he went under the half-door, stepping over the scattered debris on the floor as to not make a sound. He walked a bit further into the home, allowing the others some room to follow him in as he looked around. The dim light from outside shone through the windows, casting a dreary glow over the destroyed home. Every table and chair was torn apart, the wood and straw that once made them up, disheveled on the ground. Broken glass from pictures and bowls lay shattered across every surface, crunching beneath their feet with every step.

"Where are we?" Sam asked with a hushed voice as she looked around.

Riku frowned and sighed, "It used to be Taran's home."

"Oh," Sam realized as she slowed to a stop. "What do you think could have happened?"

Shaking his head, he admitted, "I have no idea."

"Hey, guys," Ben called out to them with a whisper. "Check this out!"

They both turned towards him to see the small robot standing by the large stone furnace. On the front of the center stone was a dark engraving: a skull with four horns, two protruding from either side. Riku narrowed his eyes as he stepped towards it, noticing a thin purple mist expelling from the stone.

"What do you think it is?" Ben asked as he climbed up on a broken stool and reached up towards the engraving.

"No! Ben, stop!" Riku exclaimed, but was too late as Ben's metal hand had just barely touched the engraving, making it flash with a purple light, before dimming back out to nothingness.

A thick tension filled the room. They stood perfectly still, waiting to see if anything was about to happen. Riku looked around, his heart pounding in his ears as Ben averted his gaze, fully knowing he had disobeyed an order.

"It was probably nothing," Sam whispered before being abruptly hushed by Riku.

"Something's here," he told her shortly, tightening his grip on Soul Eater as he stared at the stone where the glowing emblem had been.

A thick black sludge began excreting from the seams of the stone, spreading over the entire furnace until it covered the walls. Ben yelped and jumped from the stool he had been standing on, staring up at the black goop that was dripping down to the floor.

Sam coughed and brought her hand to her nose. "What is that smell?"

"Pure darkness," Riku replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the growing dark pool. "We walked into a trap." Without looking away, he barked out orders, "Ben, Jack, get to cover! Sam, can you do a continual beam of energy with your arm?"

"Yeah, I think so," she replied, flipping back her cape from her left shoulder before holding out her mechanical arm, powering it up.

As Ben scampered behind a knocked over table with Jack, the darkness leaked to the ground surrounding Riku and Sam, making them stand back to back. From the pool, yellow glowing eyes began to appear in clusters as Shadow Heartless crawled out of the goop. Behind them, Armored Knight Heartless rose up out of the ground, their purple skin melded with their thin metal armor that was met with the sharp blades attached to their arms. They twitched and stumbled behind the Shadows, glaring at the two of them with their glowing eyes through their helmets.

Sam gulped as she looked at the group, realizing that her and Riku were completely enclosed. She winced from a sudden heat striking through her left arm, and looking over she saw the crystal in her mechanical arm glowing brighter than she had ever seen it, emitting a wave of heat from being over-charged.

"Ready?" Riku asked over the gurgles and clangs of the Heartless while glancing over his shoulder. She only nodded in response, about to reply with words, before Riku abruptly and tightly linked his arm through hers, yelling, "Now!"

Without hesitating, she released the charge in the crystal, holding out her arm towards the Heartless as a bright beam of pure energy shot out. Seeing the beam, Riku held out his free arm, summoning a blast of dark firaga as he swung around, carrying Sam along with him. He spun her in a complete circle while the beam and his fire took out the entire wave of Heartless, causing the enemies to burst into a black mist and leave behind a plethora of green orbs. Riku slowed his momentum and placed Sam back on the ground. She stumbled forward with a loss of breath, still trying to figure out what had just happened as the crystal in her arm dimmed from the excess use of power so it could recharge.

Before she could ask what he had just done, another wave of Heartless appeared, yet much less numerous than before. Shaking her head, she grabbed her staff from her sheath and joined Riku in taking out the rest of the enemies.

Riku fired a string of dark aura towards a group of Heartless, watching them burst into black mist as he soaked up the green orbs they left behind. He turned to slash towards an oncoming enemy, when he suddenly felt his communication device vibrating in his pocket. Jumping back to avoid being hit, he reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out the device.

"Who is it?" Sam yelled, firing a short blast into the creature pursuing Riku.

"I think it's Hinata!" Riku called back, "Something might be wrong!" He pressed the center button to answer, bringing up her hologram, yet it was fuzzy and flickering in and out of existence. "Hinata, what's going on?" he jumped forward and sliced through an enemy.

Hinata's voice came out in spurts, none of her words audible as her hologram barely connected.

"I can't understand you," Riku replied once her choppy voice had ceased. He ducked under an attack and added, "Things aren't going exactly to plan; there are Heartless here. Something's definitely wrong-" he looked back to the device, seeing that it had lost connection. He frowned as he stuffed it back in his pocket and got back to fighting.

As the last enemy finally fell, the pools of darkness soaked in between the cracks in the floor, disappearing from sight. Sam resheathed her staff, trying to take in a full breath as drops of sweat gleamed on her skin. She looked over at Riku, seeing him dispelling Soul Eater and stumbling back a step, seemingly just as breathless as her.

"That was amazing!" Ben exclaimed, jumping out from his hiding spot, "The way you guys worked together for that joint attack and the huge explosion! Wait until we tell Hinata abou-"

"I thought I told you not to do anything drastic?" Riku curtly interrupted him, causing Ben to stop short. "You're lucky Sam and I were here with you to fight those guys off. You need to start listening to me the exact moment I give you an order. Alright?"

Ben stared up at him, his lantern eyes opened wide and innocently. Ever so slowly, he lowered his gaze and nodded. "Yes'sir…"

"It's fine…" Riku sighed, as he turned and walked out of the destroyed home.

Sam followed him outside, thankful for the chilled breeze. "What was that?" She asked.

"Some sort of summoning mechanism," Riku explained. "I haven't seen one of those on a regular world before though. Something isn't right here… There weren't even Heartless the last time I was here…" He reached into his pocket, pulling out the communications device and pressed the center button to call Hinata. A blue light pulsated around the seams before suddenly flickering out. Shaking his head, he put it back in his pocket. "And for some reason our calls aren't connecting… I hope Hinata's alright. Maybe we should head back."

"I'm sure she's fine," Sam assured him, stepping aside as Ben and Jack ran past her to play in the snow. "What could have happened in the half hour we've been gone?"

"I don't know, but-"

"Look, let's just finish the mission we came here to do, then we can hurry back to make sure she's alright." Sam interrupted him, before licking her lips and adding with a softer voice, "This might be my only chance to find out what happened to my dad…"

Riku met her pleading gaze with a small frown. He sighed and reluctantly nodded, "Alright, we'll find the pig."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Yeah, whatever, let's just get moving." he waved her off, walking a bit further through the desolate farm.

"Well, do you have any idea where this Taran kid could have gone?" Sam asked, looking around. "'Cause he obviously isn't here anymore."

"I don't know where to find him," he replied, reaching under his shirt and pulling out the charm from his necklace, "But I know someone who could." He looked down at the green glowing charm in his palm and slightly smirked, "Never thought I'd use this again…"

Closing his eyes, he tightened his hand around the charm. Sam watched him from a few feet away with her arms crossed. She noticed the glow of the charm beginning to brighten considerably, its green light seeping in between Riku's fingers and shining against the surrounding trees. The wind picked up in intensity, whirling around them, causing Sam to shield her face with her arms as snow and twigs were thrown through the air.

A sudden roar from an unknown creature caused Sam to open her eyes again and immediately gasp at the sight. In front of her stood a dragon-like creature she had never seen before. Its scales were a dull black, mixing with its purple underbelly. It stood on two massive, clawed feet, and rather than arms it folded two black wings against its sides. Two long horns protruded from its long narrow head, from where two glowing green eyes stared at Sam.

Sam swallowed hard, staring back at the creature with a mixture of awe and fear before she heard Riku's voice calling out to her. She looked up to see two other men standing behind the creature, speaking with Riku.

The first man was tall and slender with fair skin. He had pronounced cheekbones that led to a pointed chin. Long blonde hair fell freely behind his back, contrasting well with the dulled blue trench coat he wore. Brandy-brown belts were fastened around his waist, matching the knee-high boots on his feet; the belts held up a long rapier sheath buckled alongside his back. His left hand was concealed in his jacket as he smiled warmly and slightly bowed in Sam's direction.

"This is Bedivere," Riku introduced the tall man to Sam, before motioning to the other much shorter man beside him, "And this is Mordred."

Sam looked beside Bedivere to see Mordred. He stood only a few inches taller than Sam with a gruff look about him on his weather-beaten face. His hair was black and reached to his broad shoulders; the top of it was tied back, keeping it out of his face. A single scar went over his chin up to the right side of his nose. His black eyes looked Sam over, making her feel uneasy. She tore her gaze from his and looked over his clothes. He wore a thick, dull grayed cape with a full fur lining around the the top of it, where it clasped above his chest. Underneath, she could faintly make out a dark burgundy tunic which was cut low to show off a heavy chainmail. A claymore was sheathed around his waist, almost grazing the snow on the ground beside his thick worn-black boots.

"U-um," she found her voice and cleared her throat as she looked back up at them. "I'm Sam. Nice to meet you…" she spoke slowly and unsure as she looked the group over.

"I was expecting to see you and Eirian," Riku spoke up, getting Bedivere's attention as he motioned towards Mordred, "But not him."

"Happy to see you too, kid," Mordred retorted with a grumbly voice as he looked him over. "What's with the sash over your eyes? You blind now?"

Riku let out a breath, "No, I can see just fine, but good to see you haven't changed, Mordred."

"Mordred was with Eirian and I when I received your call for aid," Bedivere explained, standing tall and ignoring their banter. "We have been travelling together for the past several months and thought it would be rude of me to leave him behind, so I brought him along. I do hope that does not cause any trouble."

"No, it's fine," Riku assured him. He looked towards Eirian and half-smiled, getting a low growl in response, making him step back.

"Be calm, Eirian," Bedivere soothed, running his hand along Eirian's scaly head. As her growls ceased, Bedivere looked back to Riku and commented. "You've certainly grown since we last met."

"Yeah," Riku chuckled, glancing uneasily at Eirian. "Hit a bit of a growth spurt."

"I'll say…" Mordred added, "Last time I saw you, you were just a runt."

Bedivere cleared his throat, cutting in on Mordred's comment. "May I inquire the reason you called on me?"

Riku looked to Bedivere, "Oh, yeah. Remember that Taran kid we had to track the last time I was here?"

"Indeed I do," Bedivere nodded.

"You mean that whiney pipsqueak with the pig?" Mordred asked.

"Yeah," Riku nodded, "We came here for the pig, but…" he motioned behind them towards the broken barn. "Doesn't seem like he lives here anymore. So I thought you could help track him down."

Bedivere smirked, "That is my speciality. I would be honored to oblige."

"We're getting paid for this though, right?" Mordred crossed his arms, "Could use some extra gold."

Riku sighed and retorted, "If you do anything useful, I might consider it."

"What are you talking about? Of course I'll be useful!" Mordred scoffed, flinging one of his hands at him. "What about the girl?" He motioned his head towards Sam silently standing a few feet away. "How is she supposed to be useful?"

"You'd be surprised," Riku smirked over at her, causing Sam to break a small smile in return.

"Is she your new girl or something?" Mordred went on to ask, before snickering, "Finally took my advice and got rid of that red-head, huh?"

"Uh, n-no," Riku quickly shook his head, his cheeks flushing from the unexpected insinuation. "That's not-"

"Wait, what?" Sam cut in, not fully overhearing their conversation.

"We're not together," Riku got the words out, noticing Sam's eyes immediately widen.

"Definitely not," She quickly added, shaking as if she were grossed out at the thought, "I wouldn't be with him if he were the last guy in the universe."

Mordred instantly guffawed from her words, repeating them under his breath through his laughter.

Riku looked over at Sam with a frown, seeing her shrug in response. Letting out a small breath, he informed them. "Hinata and I are fine; she's back home. Sam's just her friend."

"Ahem," Bedivere cleared his throat, cutting in on the conversation, already pondering about their mission. "If I recall correctly, when we were tracking Taran, he was travelling with royalty,"

"You're right," Riku recalled, looking away from Sam and bringing his hand to his chin. "Princess... Eye, or, something…."

Mordred stared at Riku for a moment before chuckling heartily, "Princess Eye? What sort of dumb name is that?"

Riku groaned and defended, "At least I'm trying to remember something."

"Are you guys always like this?" Sam spoke up, causing Riku and Mordred to look over at her.

"With Pipsqueak here, at least." Mordred replied, roughly hitting Riku against the back of his shoulder, making him stumble forward.

Sam watched with silent amusement as Riku grumbled under his breath and rubbed his sore shoulder as the three of them bicker amongst themselves, before bringing her gaze down to Eirian. The monstrous reptile boredly laid on the snowy ground, its bright green eyes watching Ben and Jack scamper through the snow right outside the broken barn. Sam glanced back up at the three men, still discussing their plan of action, before stepping towards Eirian.

Once beside her, Sam knelt to the ground and softly placed her hand along Eirian's side, feeling the texture of the scales even through her glove. Eirian emitted a low growl, causing Sam to look over to see the creature staring at her with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Oh, sorry," Sam whispered, lifting her hand off. "I won't touch you…" she clasped her hands in her lap. "I've just never seen anything like you before."

"She's a Gwythaint." Bedivere spoke up, getting her attention. Sam glanced up to see all three of the men looking down at her. "And I am very surprised she is allowing you so close to her."

"Well, she growled a bit when I touched her," Sam admitted.

"You're lucky she didn't bite your hand off," Mordred told her with a laugh, "Right, Bedivere?"

Bedivere audibly sighed, giving Mordred a look before he addressed Riku, "I believe I know the Princess that was travelling with our target."

"You do?" Riku asked, not taking his gaze away from Sam beside Eirian.

"Yes, shortly before Taran's capture with his pig, there was a young maiden brought into the castle," Bedivere recalled. "I wasn't part of her capture, but I did guard her cell for a night. I shortly spoke with her, and she told me she was from the Kingdom of Mona, which would make her Princess Eilonwy, daughter of King Regat."

"That name sounds right," Riku agreed, finally looking away from Eirian when he decided she wouldn't attack Sam. "Do you think Taran would be in her kingdom?"

"It's quite possible," Bedivere nodded, "It would be a good place to start, at least."

"Let's head there then," Riku agreed as he turned around and held out his hand. "Kingdom of Mona… right?"

"Yes," Bedivere simply assured him.

"Alright," Riku nodded and a black portal sprang from the ground. "Let's get going then."

"What in the blazes is that?!" Mordred exclaimed, staring at the pulsating portal with his mouth agaped.

"A path to the Kingdom," Riku shortly told him, "Just walk inside."

Mordred scoffed, "Yeah right, how do I know it's not some sort of trap? It looks a lot like those black pools those shadow creatures crawl out of."

"Indeed it does," Bedivere agreed, "However, I have seen Riku create one of these portals before. It is completely safe, I assure you."

Mordred shook his head and grumbled under his breath as he stomped forward. "Kid just waltzes back here expecting us to drop everything..." He glanced up at Riku with an unsure look, before disappearing into the portal.

"Is he always that… grumpy?" Sam asked once Mordred disappeared.

"He's usually worse," Bedivere jested, barely smiling at his own joke. He looked over to Eirian and knelt beside her while running his hand along her smooth scales, whispering in a language neither Riku nor Sam understood.

Letting out a low growl, Eirian walked forward. Riku jumped back, not daring to get in her way as she entered the portal.

"She'll be alright in there?" Sam asked.

Bedivere borderline chuckled as he stood back up, "She is not happy about it, but yes." He nodded towards Riku as he walked forward, "I shall see you inside."

As he disappeared into the portal, Sam got up from the ground and walked towards Riku. "You sure we can trust these guys?"

"Bedivere, yes," Riku assured her, looking into the portal. "I'm not too sure about Mordred, but as long as he gets paid, he shouldn't cause trouble."

Sam nodded, "Hopefully Taran and that pig will be there."

"Yeah," Riku let out a breath, before glancing around and calling out, "Ben! Jack! Come on, we're leaving!"

"Be right there!" Ben yelled back, his voice far in the distance.

Riku shook his head, "I wonder if it was a mistake bringing those two."

"They're fine," Sam dismissed his worries. "Sure, Ben set off that trap, but nothing we can't handle."

Riku scoffed and was about to reply before he heard Ben yell out in fright. "Heartless! Heartless!"

"Dammit," Riku groaned, looking over and seeing Ben and Jack racing their way with Shadow Heartless chasing after them. "Just get into the portal!"

Sam reached for her staff, but Riku stopped her.

"Just get in the portal," he told her, "It's already draining enough to keep this open for everyone. We'll just let those guys be."

"Whatever you say," Sam shrugged, stepping back as Ben squeezed between the space in Riku's legs and escaped into the portal with Jack right behind.

Riku nodded to Sam and they both entered the portal, allowing it to disappear behind them before a single Heartless could follow them in. Once inside, Riku almost stumbled forward, feeling a sudden drain of energy. Sam caught his shoulder, keeping his balance.

"You alright?" She asked him with a whisper.

"Yeah," he assured her, standing back up straight as he looked ahead of them, seeing the rest of the group slowly walking on ahead towards the bright light at the end of the Corridor. "I've never used a Corridor to transport this many people before. It's using a lot more power than I thought it would."

"Hey, Kid!" Mordred called out to them, walking backwards so he could face them.

Riku held back a groan as he replied with a slightly exasperated voice, "What?"

"Are you the one that made this?!" he yelled, "Or was it that Ansem guy?"

Riku clenched his teeth and twitched his head, hating the way Ansem sounded coming from Mordred. "I forgot he knew about that…" he whispered, barely loud enough for Sam to hear.

Sam glanced over at Riku, noticing the sudden brooding aura that overtook him. Raising her own voice, she replied. "He used darkness to make it!"

"Seriously?" Riku harshly whispered to her.

"What, am I wrong?" She asked him in return.

"Always knew you'd put it to good use eventually!" Mordred replied with a hearty laugh as he turned back around, looking around at the swirling darkness around them with awe.

Riku shook his head with a hardened expression. "Don't just tell people that," he scolded Sam with a whisper.

"It's what you're using though, isn't it?" She asked, putting her arms out at her sides. "What's so wrong about it?"

"You aren't wrong, I just-" his voice trailed off and he let out a breath. "Forget it, it's fine."

Leaving her behind, he walked on ahead until he matched his pace with Bedivere's. He walked beside him in silence for a moment, watching as Jack floated over to Eirian, barking to her as she made strange throaty noises in return. A slight smirk appeared on Riku's face from their interaction.

"Is everything alright?" Bedivere inquired, getting Riku's attention.

"Yeah," Riku quickly assured him before asking, "How long have the Heartless been here?"

Bedivere was silent for a moment, "The shadow creatures?" When he noticed Riku nod, he recalled, "Several months now. It started with just a few sightings here and there, mostly in the north. However, within the last three months they have spread across the entirety of Prydain. The animals of the forest have been driven out or completely devoured by them, and even the most skilled of bounty hunters are unable to travel far alone or by foot."

"It's that bad?" Riku asked, slightly shaking his head. "That doesn't make any sense… where are they all coming from?"

"I have a theory, yet I think it will be better discussed outside of this portal, so you can rest." Bedivere replied.

Riku breathily laughed, "Thanks for looking out for me."

Bedivere smiled to himself before asking. "Is Lady Hinata well?"

"Yeah, well, sort of," Riku honestly admitted, "She's sort of why we're here."

"So I take it things worked out between the two of you," Bedivere commented, glancing over at Riku, noticing the smile on his face.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "Things definitely worked out."

"I am happy to hear it," Bedivere's smile grew as he looked back ahead of them, realizing they were nearing the bright light.

They walked into the light and were immediately greeted by chilly winds and snowflakes falling on their faces. Riku walked to the front of the group to see that they were in the middle of a town. People walked all around them, barely paying any mind to them, despite them just appearing out of a random portal, but sent wary glances towards Eirian in the center of the group.

A tall wall, made entirely of thick logs with spiked tops, surrounded the outskirts of the town and the double-doored gate was well guarded by fully armored men. Even from where Riku stood with the others on the main path, he could see men fighting off a group of Heartless right outside the town wall. Homes and buildings of all shapes and sizes filled the town, alongside a hill that led up to a stone castle with tattered red flags fluttering from the wind atop the towers.

"Kingdom of Mona…?" Mordred slowly asked in wonderment as he looked around and stepped forward to be beside Riku. "We just traveled a week's worth journey in a few minutes?" He looked up at Riku with an unmistakable admiration. "You did that?"

Riku couldn't help but smirk a bit smugly, "Not just a runt anymore, huh?"

Mordred scoffed with a bit of a chuckle, "You're alright, Kid." He turned around towards the others, specifically looking to Bedivere. "Now what? Where to next?"

Bedivere was softly running his hand along Eirian's back, keeping her calm from the commotion around them. He scanned their surroundings, taking all of it in, before speaking. "Taran lived on a farm before, so it is safe to assume he would go back to such a lifestyle even after moving."

"So, we check the farms?" Sam asked.

Bedivere shortly nodded, "That, or we could possibly check the castle. If Taran was in good company with the Princess, he could very well be there."

"I say we split up," Riku finally turned around to face the group. "Sam and Mordred, check the farms, Bedivere and I will check at the castle." He looked over to Sam, noticing her unenthused expression at the thought of being alone with Mordred. "It'll be quicker. We don't have a lot of time to waste."

Sam let out a breath and nodded, "Alright, that works with me."

"And Jack and I will go with Eirian!" Ben exclaimed, patting his metal hand along Eirian's leg as Jack barked in agreement.

"Are those things with you too?" Mordred asked Riku with a hushed voice.

Riku sighed, "Yeah, they wanted to tag along." Crossing his arms, he asked, "Ben, where are you planning on going with Eirian?"

Ben brought one of his hands to his large chin, "Hmm…"

Eirian suddenly let out a deep throated sound, getting low on the ground and nudging Ben with her pointed snout.

Ben looked over at her and gasped excitedly before scurrying up onto her back, his weight had little effect on Eirian as she easily stood back up. Ben pointed upwards and exclaimed, "We shall scan the town from the skies!"

"Are you sure that's safe?" Sam asked.

"It'll keep him out of trouble," Riku shrugged, before replying to Ben, "Just stay around the town, don't wander off."

"Yes'sir!" Ben saluted as Eirian spread her wings.

With a strong flap of her wings, she instantly soared into the air, causing everyone around her to shield their faces from the gust of wind. Jack barked jovially as he floated after them, leaving the group alone on the ground.

"Never thought she'd make a friend," Mordred commented to Bedivere, watching Eirian fly away with Ben and Jack.

"Hmm," Bedivere slightly hummed in response with a smile on his face. "Yes, it is rather surprising." He looked away from Eirian to Riku, "Shall we then?"

"Yeah," Riku agreed, looking to Sam. "Call me if you find anything."

"What if the call won't connect? Didn't that call with Hinata drop earlier?" She asked, placing her hands along her hips.

Riku frowned and thought it over for a moment, "Then just come find us at the castle."

"Whatever you say," she shrugged in agreement, before nodding to Mordred, "You ready?"

Mordred half-heartedly nodded and walked forward, passing her to walk down the path towards the farmland. "Any excuse to get a move on," he mumbled under his breath. "Hopefully we'll actually get to kill something."

Sam sent Riku a look before turning around to follow after Mordred.

"Are you certain you trust Mordred to be alone with your companion?" Bedivere inquired as he and Riku watched them walk away.

"Yeah," Riku simply replied, turning around to look up the steep path that led up to the castle. "She'll blast him if he tries anything."

"Blast him?" Bedivere repeated with a hint of amusement in his voice, turning around as well. "Is she a mage?"

"Something like that," Riku chuckled, stepping forward and slightly wobbling as his head throbbed. He stopped and placed his hand on his forehead, taking in a deep breath of the icy air.

"Should we take a short rest before heading to the castle?" Bedivere asked. "There is a tavern nearby."

Riku frowned and looked up at the castle, taking note of the steep hill and the way his head was aching. He swallowed to wet his dry throat and reluctantly shook his head, "No, we don't have time to waste, I'll be fine."

He felt around his tunic, searching for where his potions got stored in his new outfit. Pulling out a thin vial from a satchel attached to his belt, he clinked off the lid and drank the contents, instantly feeling a mild rush of adrenaline. Placing the empty vial back in his pocket, he began walking forward.

Bedivere nodded as he followed after him, "Very well. At the very least, have something to drink," he reached to a leather flask attached to his belt and held it out to Riku.

Riku hesitantly took the flask and undid the top, motioning it towards Bedivere, he said, "Thanks." He swigged it back, instantly retracting it when a thick, almost syrupy liquid hit his tongue. He shortly coughed and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, noticing Bedivere's short chuckle as Riku looked back at the flask. "What is this? Some sort of alcohol?"

"Aged mead, to be exact," Bedivere informed him, the unmistakable amusement apparent in his voice as he took back the flask and gulped a drink.

Riku lightly coughed again, "I'll stick with my potions, thanks."

"Very well," Bedivere replied, smirking as he refastened his flask to his belt.

Riku's cheeks flushed with a bit of embarrassment as they continued to walk in silence. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat and spoke up, "So, uh, about the Heartless?"

"Yes," Bedivere nodded, moving out of the way of a passerbyer. "I believe there is a source of darkness these creatures are coming from. They are inexplicably appearing from the north, which is where the Horned King used to reside before he was slain." He noticed Riku look over at him as he continued, "My theory is, that even after his death, a residual darkness is still present, if it not from him, then no doubt from the Black Cauldron."

"But I thought that the cauldron was destroyed?" Riku asked.

"To our knowledge, yes," Bedivere nodded, "However, a fraction of its power or darkness could have been left behind. And combine that with the possible darkness left behind from the Horned King-"

"You get a festering pool of darkness for the Heartless to crawl out of…" Riku finished for him, looking back ahead at the castle.

"Precisely" Bedivere agreed, placing his arms behind his back as they walked. "I am unsure what is to be done about the situation. There is no way any of us could have known this would occur from our actions a year ago."

Riku lightly scoffed, "Yeah, but I'm the one that killed the Horned King… And I used darkness to do it. That might have triggered it."

Bedivere side-glanced at him, "Do you mean you remember what happened when you shortly transformed into that Ansem fellow?"

He shook his head, "It's still a bit cloudy. I can remember parts of it…" He noticed Bedivere looking at him questioningly. Letting out a breath, he tried to explain, "Um, when Ansem took me over again, I was able to look in his memories and figure a few things out. Couldn't make sense of most of it though."

"Hmm," Bedivere shortly hummed in response, looking back ahead of them. "That is rather intriguing. I couldn't imagine such an experience." he glanced over, seeing Riku with his gaze downcast, and cleared his throat, "But we will stop talking about it. I can tell it wears on you."

Riku strained a smile, "Yeah, a bit." Taking in a deep breath, he looked back up, realizing they were finally nearing the castle. "It's weird being back here."

"Indeed," Bedivere agreed. "You were rather different when you were here last."

"Yeah," Riku breathily laughed, "Thanks for helping me out again, even after all this time."

"Of course," Bedivere shortly bowed, even as they walked. "The passage of a year is hardly sufficient enough time to break the loyalty of friendship."

"I guess that's true," he replied, suddenly pausing when he felt his communication device vibrating in his pocket.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the device and pressing the center button. His heart slightly sank when a blue hologram of Sam appeared, rather than Hinata's. Despite Sam only being a mile or so away, her hologram flickered in and out of existence.

"Hey, Sam," Riku greeted, "Find anything?"

"Yeah, we-" her voice warbled a moment, "Taran's n… can… farm, no Hen…" The hologram suddenly vanished as the call dropped.

Sam stared at the dead device for a moment, grumbling as she put it back in a satchel on her hip.. "We've never had problems with connection before, but we get here and nothing works."

Letting out an aggravated breath, she crossed her arms and looked out at the town from the doorway of the old farm she and Mordred found themselves in. Snow was still falling from the sky, keeping the ground covered with a thick layer of white, sparkling ice. Despite the cold, Sam felt a frustrated heat in her cheeks. She could hear Mordred's grumbly voice a few feet beside her.

"How could that brat lose the damned pig, again?" he complained. Shaking his head, he looked towards the town's gate that was only a short walk away and pulled out his claymore from his sheath. "I can't take standing around here doing nothing, I'm going to go kill something…" Without waiting for Sam to reply, he stomped off.

"Not a person, I hope…" Sam replied under her breath before turning around and heading back inside the farm.

A instant warmth met her from the crackling fireplace in the main room, where an older man was sitting in a creaky wood rocking chair with a thick quilt over his legs. His gray hair was long, falling far past his shoulders as his eyes stared blankly into the fire. Sam looked away from him and noticed a blonde-haired girl, that appeared to be around the same age as her, walk into the living room from the kitchen. She wore a regal blue dress that reached to her ankles and her hair was braided into an ornate bun. Her matching blue eyes were saddened as she made eye contact with Sam and strained a smile.

"I'm sorry we're unable to help you," she told Sam with a proper, accented voice.

"It's alright," Sam strained a smile in response. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Eilonwy," she half-heartedly curtsied.

"Princess Eilonwy," the older man corrected from his spot on the rocking chair, before letting out a string of coughs.

"Yes, Dallben," Eilonwy softly acknowledged him before looking back at Sam. "If only you had come a few days prior, we may have still had Hen Wen."

"And maybe that boy wouldn't have wandered off with her!" Dallben added with a grumble, ignoring the slight glare Eilonwy sent him.

"Taran didn't mean to lose Hen Wen," Eilonwy reminded him with a bit of a huff in her voice. "He's already apologized and feels awfully terrible about the whole ordeal!"

"Good!" Dallben nodded, coughing at the end. "That boy's caused enough trouble! About time he learned a lesson."

"Dallben!" Eilonwy scolded. "Why, if the outer walls weren't crawling with those creatures, I'd toss you out this instant!"

Sam smothered a slight snicker as Dallben waved Eilonwy off and went back to his silent sulking, before clearing her throat and asking, "How exactly did Taran lose Hen Wen?"

Eilonwy looked back to Sam, the anger in her eyes diminished. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure, Taran refuses to speak of it. In fact, he's barely spoken at all since the incident, only to say he's sorry." Slightly shaking her head with her hand on her chin, she explained, "All I know, is that he was outside with Hen Wen for a morning walk and they wandered outside the city walls and towards the forest. But I don't know what happened after that."

"It was the Horned King…" Taran suddenly spoke up, making Sam and Eilonwy turn around to see him standing at the foot of a set of creaky stairs. His shaggy orange hair was disheveled, tied back sloppily while the loose strands fell to his shoulders. His empty, brown eyes stared down at the wooden floorboards as he scuffed it with his boots. "The Horned King took Hen Wen…"

"Taran, you can't be serious," Eilonwy stepped towards him with her arms crossed. "We watched Riku slay the Horned King!"

"I know what I saw, Eilonwy," Taran assured her firmly, stepping forward. "It was the Horned King!"

"I'm sorry, who now?" Sam asked, completely lost. "You watched Riku kill someone?"

Taran suddenly looked up as Eilonwy spun around to face Sam and asked. "You know Riku?"

"Ye-eah," Sam replied with a slow, drawn out voice as she took notice of their tense expressions. "And something tells me you don't like him."

Taran's frown deepened as Eilonwy scoffed, "That is quite an understatement." She shook her head and flung her arms at her side as she ranted. "Not only did he lie to his love about his intentions, he captured us and led us to what very well could have been our deaths, without a single care or any remorse! Why, he's simply awful!" She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down. Looking back to Sam, she asked. "I don't suppose you know of his love, Hinata?"

Sam slightly smiled and nodded, "Yeah, she's-uh, sort of one of my best-friends, actually."

Both Eilonwy and Taran smiled at her words. "Then she's alright?" Taran asked, his solemn tone slightly lifted in spirits.

"Yeah, she's the reason I'm looking for Hen Wen, actually," Sam informed them. "But yeah, she's doing fine."

"What a relief!" Eilonwy exclaimed, turning around and clasping her hands around Taran's. "Why, we've been worried sick about her!"

Taran smiled back at Eilonwy, his spirits continuing to lift. "Yeah, especially after the way she ran off with Riku even after we warned her about him."

"Indeed," Eilonwy agreed. "It is nice to know she was able to free herself of him… we worried what would become of her if she remained at his side."

"Oh, they're still together," Sam informed them without thinking, instantly regretting it as Taran and Eilonwy shot their gazes to her.

"You can't be serious!" Eilonwy released Taran's hands and walked towards Sam. "After everything he did, and was no doubt going to continue to do?"

"Well, uh," Sam rubbed the back of her neck, "You see, he's different now. He's not the same person you guys remember."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Taran snidely remarked, crossing his arms.

"You just might get that chance," Sam muttered under her breath.

"Sam!" Riku's voice called out from the distance.

Sam instantly whipped her head towards the sound and quickly looked back to the others, stammering, "I-uh, better go see who that is…" Without waiting for their response, she turned and hurried out of the farm, trudging through the snow to get back to the main path where she saw Riku and Bedivere walking through the farmland.

"Hey!" She called out, waving her right arm to get their attention before jogging to meet them.

"There you are," Riku greeted once Sam slowed to a stop in front of them. "Did you find something?"

"Yeah, about that, I met a couple of people that really don't like you." She began to explain. "Taran and Eilonwy?"

Riku immediately frowned and sighed, "Yeah… I don't imagine they'd be too excited to see me."

"Well the good news is that they still remember Hinata and really like her," she told him, "Bad news is that once they found out you and her were still together, they weren't too happy about it."

"Whatever, I don't really care," Riku waved it off, "Do they have Hen Wen?"

"Oh, uh-no…" Sam shook her head with a sigh. "Taran lost her a few days ago. He said she got taken by the Horned King?"

Bedivere and Riku immediately exchanged a look. "Are you certain?" Bedivere asked.

"That's what Taran's insisting," Sam look between them. "Do you guys know who he's talking about? Eilonwy said she watched Riku kill him."

"It was Ansem, but, that doesn't make sense," Riku placed his hands along his hips and looked away. "Except… maybe it isn't really him… but, his Heartless…"

"Can that happen?" Sam asked. "I thought Heartless were only those shadow creatures."

"Usually they are," Riku turned back to face them. "Unless the person that fell into darkness had a really strong heart."

"You, or really, Ansem, killed the Horned King with darkness, correct?" Bedivere inquired. When Riku nodded, Bedivere continued. "Then is it possible that darkness turned him into one of those Heartless creatures?"

"And his heart was probably already dark, I would imagine anyways since you killed him," Sam added, "So that added with the darkness used to kill him… darkness overload."

"Why would he just now be appearing though?" Riku asked, "It's been a year since that happened."

"Perhaps," Bedivere placed his hand to his chin and looked up towards the sky. "It's taken a while for the darkness to take hold. Worse still is the possibility that he's spent this time growing his power and army before attacking."

Riku let out a breath and ran his hand over his hair. "So basically, I unwittingly unleashed an even worse darkness on this world…"

"Why were you and Hinata even here before?" Sam asked. "I mean, Hinata mentioned it was to destroy that Cauldron thing, but why?"

Riku thought about it for a moment, "Maleficent sent us here." He noticed questioning looks and clarified, "Our previous… employer, I guess. She told us to find a way to destroy the Cauldron because if the Horned King was able to activate it, the undead army it would create would be unstoppable, even by Heartless."

"But now instead of creating an army of undead, he's creating an army of Heartless," Sam commented.

"Basically," Riku shrugged. "Or at least, that's what it sounds like."

"Is there a possibility that this is what Maleficent wanted all along?" Bedivere asked.

"What do you mean?" Riku asked. "You mean, she wanted the Horned King to become a Heartless?"

Bedivere slightly shrugged, "It is not entirely unreasonable. Even without your or Hinata's intervention, the Cauldron would have been destroyed. But without you, the Horned King would not have been killed with darkness, but perhaps by the Cauldron itself or by the citizens of Prydain after the ordeal."

"So basically you're saying this is my fault," Riku sighed, looking away with a deep frown. "Even if it was Maleficent sending me here and Ansem using my body, I still followed through with everything without question…" Shaking his head, he sent his gaze towards the muddy snowy ground and stayed silent in thought for a moment, before saying. "I have to fix this… whether or not he has Hen Wen."

"But what about Hinata?" Sam asked. "We don't know what that call was about. What if she needs our help?"

"As long as she's at the mansion, she'll be safe." Riku reminded her, "But I can't just leave here knowing it's my fault this world is the way it is. It's my responsibility to make it right."

Sam frowned but nodded, "Alright, I'm in."

"As am I," Bedivere shortly bowed. "Mordred will no doubt be happy to hear there is a prospect of a grand battle. Speaking of which," he looked around, "Where is Mordred?"

"He got bored and left the town to kill something," Sam informed him.

"Ah," Bedivere smiled, "I should have known."

"Alright, let's get everyone together and get going," Riku told them, turning around to lead the way.


	37. Into the Darkness

Chapter 37

***Recap: As Xion is back at the mansion speaking with Namine, Riku and Sam left on a mission to Prydain to find an oracular pig named Hen Wen. While there Riku summons back old friends, Bedivere and Mordred, to help them track down Taran, Hen Wen's watcher. They find Taran in the Kingdom of Morda, but discover that Hen Wen was taken by the previously slain Horned King. Riku is convinced he is the cause of the Horned King returning with the Darkness and goes out to fix his past mistakes.***

Sam looked around at the worn down farm houses that were covered with shimmering snow as she followed after Riku and Bedivere towards the town's main gates. Her eyes met with Taran's home and she could see Eilonwy glancing out the open door, no doubt searching for her.

Momentarily pausing, Sam looked towards Riku and raised her voice loud enough for him to hear, "Would it be a good idea to stop by Taran's to find out what happened with Hen Wen?"

Riku immediately stopped walking and replied, "It would probably be better if they didn't see me. We don't need their help."

"Actually," Bedivere spoke up, causing Riku to glance over at him. "I may agree with Lady Sam-"

"Lady Sam?" Sam interrupted with a smug smile, "I could get used to that." She looked over to Riku, "Why don't you call me that?"

Riku sent her an unamused look before going back to Bedivere. "Why do you think we should go see them?"

"Lady Sam told us that Taran claims Hen Wen was taken by the Horned King," Bedivere reminded him. "Taran may be able to provide us some insight on where the King resides now or what he is like."

Looking back to the snow that embedded his feet, Riku mulled it over for a moment before admitting, "Yeah, you're right." He looked back up and let out a long sigh. "I doubt they'll want to talk to me, though."

"This might be your chance to show them how much you've changed and make things right," Sam pointed out with a shrug as she walked towards him.

"Doubt it," Riku simply replied.

"I will go retrieve the others while you and Lady Sam speak with them," Bedivere spoke up. "We can meet right outside the town's gates."

Riku shortly nodded in agreement, "Alright." After Bedivere bowed shortly and walked away, Riku looked over to Sam with a frown. "Lead the way then, I guess."

Sam smirked and turned to the right, leading off the path towards the farmland. As they stepped off the road, the snow reached up to their calves, making it difficult to trudge through. They passed a couple homes before reaching a seemingly new wooden farmhouse with the front door wide open.

"Here it is," Sam told him, stopping a few feet from the door. "If you want, I could go inside by myself and just relay what I find out."

Riku thought about it for a moment before shaking his head, "No, I want to hear the info first hand; Taran has a habit of over exaggerating things."

"Alright then," Sam shrugged, walking into the home. She stopped at the doorway, seeing Taran and Eilonwy talking quietly by the stairway before noticing that Dalben was no longer rocking in front of the fireplace. Lightly clearing her throat, she caught Eilonwy and Taran's attention.

"There you are!" Eilonwy exclaimed as she turned and walked towards Sam. "We were wondering where you suddenly ran off to."

"I-uh, was getting someone," Sam admitted as she stepped out of the way to allow Riku to come in.

"Riku?" Eilonwy gasped and stumbled backwards into Taran.

"What are you doing here?" Taran stepped protectively in front of Eilonwy, glaring at Riku.

"I was here for Hen Wen," Riku replied curtly, while crossing his arms. "But I heard you screwed that up."

"Seriously?" Sam scolded him with a hushed voice. "I told them you changed and you come here with that attitude?"

Riku side glanced at Sam with a frown before letting out a long breath, "Fine…" he uncrossed his arms and looked back to Taran and Eilonwy. "I'm not here to cause trouble, alright? I'm only here because Hinata asked me to find Hen Wen-"

"Is Hinata here?" Eilonwy interrupted.

"No," Riku answered honestly. "But she's safe."

"She's having to stay hidden," Sam tried to explain. "She wanted us to find Hen Wen so we can ask to show a vision of her future-to see if she can safely leave or not."

"Why is she having to stay hidden?" Eilonwy asked.

"Long story," Riku replied. "The point is, we're here for her. But I heard that Hen Wen was taken by the Horned King and wanted to hear what happened."

"Why do you think we'd tell you anything?" Taran spoke up with a slight growl in his voice. "After everything you've done, how do you expect us to trust anything you say?"

"Because I can make things right," Riku confessed, clenching his hands into tight fists.

Sam whipped her attention to Riku as the others fell silent, allowing Riku to talk.

"Look, I know I messed up. I know I've never done right by either of you, and I'm sorry." He looked between Taran and Eilonwy as he continued. "But that isn't me anymore. I'm trying to help and make things right. I know the Horned King is back, he's back because of the darkness I used to kill him. I didn't know that would happen, but it did; and now that I'm here, I'm going to put a stop to it." Running his hand over his hair, he added, "You don't have to believe me, that's fine. We're here asking for help, but if you don't feel like trusting me, we can do this on our own."

The flames crackled in the fireplace, interrupting the tense silence as Taran's eyes flickered downward, considering Riku's words.

Reluctantly looking back up, he inhaled deeply and explained, "A couple days ago, I was with Hen Wen in the forest outside the Kingdom's walls…"

"Taran," Eilonwy whispered behind him, "you can't seriously be trusting him."

"We have to give him a chance, Eilonwy," Taran glanced back at her with an equally hushed voice. "If anyone is capable enough to stop the Horned King again, it's him."

"I don't know, Taran," Eilonwy replied, looking Riku over.

"I promise, he's telling the truth," Sam assured her.

Eilonwy frowned, but allowed Taran to continue, "I had been wanting to to find some truffles in the forest so I could make a special dinner for…" his voice lightly trailed off as his cheeks flushed, "...something." He cleared his throat. "Hen Wen's really good at smelling them out, so I brought her with me to look, but we didn't make it far. We were less than a mile away from the town walls when I suddenly heard a strange, unsettling whisper. Something about it startled Hen Wen and she sprinted away from me. I ran after her and the whispers grew louder until it sounded like someone was right next to my ear. I caught up to her, but only because she had been stopped by those strange shadow creatures…"

"The Heartless," Sam clarified for him.

"You know of them?" Eilonwy asked. "Have you seen them before?"

Sam silently nodded. "A lot actually," she replied.

"What happened next?" Riku cut in, getting back to Taran's story.

Taran rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably as he continued, "Well-uh, once I caught up to Hen Wen, we were surrounded by those… Heartless. I grabbed her and tried to run, but I couldn't get through. Then, right in front of us, this black shadow appeared. It covered the ground around us and out of it the Horned King appeared."

"What do you mean, Taran?" Eilonwy asked, hearing the story for the first time as well. "How did he appear?"

"I-I don't know," Taran ran his hand through his hair, swallowing hard before he continued. "He rose out of the dark shadow and had this purple mist surrounding him…"

Riku shook his head, "He turned into a Heartless…" He let out a long breath. "I was hoping I was wrong about that…"

"We can just go kill him, right?" Sam asked. "Is there anything special about him being a Heartless?"

"He's more powerful," Riku told her. "He isn't just using the darkness like me; the darkness is him."

"Well, shit," Sam mumbled. "You think we can do this?"

"We have to," he spoke quietly, before looking back to Taran. "What happened next?"

"I was in shock…" Taran continued, having a harder time talking about it as a sheen of water covered his brown eyes. "He reached forward and took Hen Wen from my hands… and then he just... disappeared…"

"Don't blame yourself, Taran," Eilonwy softly placed her hand on Taran's shoulder. "No one could have expected the Horned King to return. Especially in such an unheard of way."

Taran didn't reply, only downcasting his eyes towards the floorboards with a solemn look.

"Alright, thanks," Riku quickly spoke, looking towards Sam and giving her a nod. "We'll be back." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" Taran suddenly spoke up, causing both Sam and Riku to stop. He lifted his gaze and told them determinedly, "I want to help."

"Thanks, but we don't need it," Riku told him. "You'd honestly only get in the way." Sam scoffed and elbowed him, making him look over to her and whisper, "It's true, he doesn't know the first thing about fighting."

"I know," Taran agreed, stepping forward. "But, I'm the one that lost Hen Wen and she's my responsibility. If something happened to her, she might need me." When Riku hesitated, he stepped forward again and added, "I won't get in the way, I promise."

Riku sighed, obviously not moved, as Sam whispered to him. "Come on, he wants to help."

"We already have Ben and Jack as dead weight," Riku reminded her with a hushed voice. "You really want to add another person to that list?"

Sam just looked at him with a frown, "You are insufferable sometimes, you know that? Just give the kid a chance-he gave you one."

Riku stared back at her with a blank expression before suddenly letting out a quiet groan. "Fine," he motioned his head towards Taran, "you can help, but I'm not slowing down for you."

"Thank you, I won't let you down." Taran quickly acknowledged his permittance, turning around to run up the stairs before Eilonwy stopped him.

"Taran, are you sure about this?" Eilonwy spoke quietly while casting glances towards Riku and Sam. "Trusting Riku enough to tell him about Hen Wen is one thing, but offering to go on this… rescue mission with him... Are you sure that's wise?"

"Hen Wen is my responsibility, Eilonwy," he told her, taking her hands lightly into his. "If Riku is telling the truth about trying to get her back, I need to be there. He says he's here to make things right and that's what I need to do, too."

"I don't know, Taran…" Eilonwy replied softly, averting her gaze. "What if something goes wrong? I… couldn't lose you."

Taran smiled and squeezed her hands, "You won't, I promise." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before running up the stairs to get ready.

Eilonwy looked after Taran until he disappeared before turning her attention to Riku and Sam. Standing tall, she stalked towards them and glared at Riku. "Of all the times to return here, this is the day you choose… I hope you know that I am not the slightest bit sympathetic towards your apology. If it wasn't for Taran's insistence that Hen Wen was his responsibility, I'd-" She cut off mid-sentence with a huff as she placed her hands on her hips and looked away. Taking in a deep breath, she added with a calmer voice. "I do hope you find Hen Wen, though, if for nothing else than Hinata's sake."

"Noted," Riku simply replied, with the slightest hint of a smirk. "And I'll let Hinata know you say hello."

The corner of Eilonwy's mouth curved into a smile before she turned and walked away, heading upstairs to help Taran get ready.

"She really doesn't like you," Sam commented once Eilonwy was out of earshot.

Riku lightly chuckled. "Told you. Honestly, I'm surprised Taran was the one that decided to trust me."

"Thank you for letting him come along," Sam replied. "He deserves a chance."

Riku silently nodded before asking, "Are you just saying that because he reminds you of when you wanted to come back to Twilight Town?"

Sam scoffed, "Yeah, maybe. I just felt bad for him, I guess."

Accepting her answer, Riku looked outside at the seemingly endless snowfall. His thoughts went to their mission ahead and he swallowed hard. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Yeah, I'm getting that impression…" Sam replied, crossing her arms. "Do you know where the Horned King is?"

"I'm going to guess he's at the same place he was when I was here last time," he informed her. "His castle got destroyed, but he could have easily used his darkness to rebuild it."

"Perfect," Sam sarcastically remarked. "A darkness filled castle built by a guy that probably has a huge bone to pick with you since you're the one that killed him. This is going to be a party that Hinata will be sorry she missed."

"Yeah…" he mumbled.

"Alright, I'm ready," Taran got their attention as he walked back down the creaky stairs.

A thick brown coat covered his tunic, with a black leather belt around his hips, holding the sheath to his blade on his side. His orange hair was fully pulled back, keeping it out of his face. He pulled on a pair of black snow boots by the door and stood back up straight.

"Let's go," he strained a smile to Riku before turning back around and sending a small wave to Eilonwy, who was standing silently at the top of the stairs with watery sheen over her eyes.

With a silent nod of acknowledgement, Riku left the house, immediately met with the chilling winds of the outdoors. He could hear the footsteps of the others crunching through the snow behind him as he led the way towards the town gates.

"It should be about a week's journey to the Horned King's castle," Taran spoke up. "At least, where his castle used to be." He cleared his throat and added, "I hope you have enough supplies for the journey."

"We'll be fine," Riku assured him. "We just need to meet up with the others before we get going."

"Others?" Taran asked a bit hesitantly. "How many others?"

"Five, I think," Sam informed him, walking alongside him. "Other than Mordred, they're all pretty nice. Don't worry, you'll be in safe hands." She sent him a reassuring smile and he faintly smiled in return.

Riku glanced over his shoulder at them before looking forward as he reached the main gate. He was suddenly stopped by spears crossed in front of him.

"Halt!" A guard's loud voice caught his attention and he looked over to see a fully armored man looking him and the group over. "The outside walls are not safe for travel."

Riku looked past the guard, seeing Bedivere with Mordred and the others in the outskirts of the outside forest. His frown deepened as he brought his gaze back to the guard. "We'll be fine. We can take care of ourselves and we won't be travelling alone."

The guard looked Riku and the others over with an unsure expression, but nodded to the other guard, raising their spears and allowing them through. "Be sure to be back by sundown…"

"Thanks," Riku told them as he led on through.

As he passed the gates, Riku looked towards the forest. Even from the town, he could see the familiar glowing eyes of random Heartless creeping in between the trees and snow covered bushes. Shaking his head at the sight, he turned his gaze towards the rest of the group, where Bedivere and Mordred were chatting as Ben and Jack played in the snow. Eirian dug her narrow nose into the snow, throwing piles of it into the air to rain down on a laughing Ben.

Bedivere looked up as he noticed Riku approaching and asked, "Trouble? I noticed the guards stopped you."

"Not much," Riku replied, "They were just warning us it was dangerous out here."

Mordred turned to face Riku and immediately groaned, "Don't tell me the whiny brat is coming with us!" He blatantly motioned towards Taran, "Just had to invite him along, didn't you?"

Taran scowled and stepped forward, "My name, is Taran! And I have as much right to be here as you do… whoever you are."

Rolling his eyes, Mordred grumbled to Riku, "This is going to cost you double."

"Exactly how much are you expecting us to pay you?" Sam asked.

"I'll figure that out once we finished the mission," Mordred replied gruffly, "but double the amount I decide."

"Oh please," Sam rolled her eyes.

"Taran saw the Horned King," Riku explained to Mordred, bringing the discussion back on topic, "and Hen Wen is his pig, so he's tagging along. He won't cause trouble… hopefully."

"That's reassuring…" Mordred muttered under his breath.

"So he did indeed see the Horned King," Bedivere commented, "which confirms our suspicions that he has returned. I have filled the others in on the new mission."

"Thanks," Riku nodded towards him. "We should get going then."

Closing his eyes, he held out his hand and a black portal appeared out of the snow before flickering out of existence. Riku opened his eyes in surprise and tried again with the same result. He looked down at his open palm with confusion.

"What's wrong?" Sam walked up beside him and asked with a quieted voice.

"I'm not sure…" Riku whispered back honestly. "It's like I can't keep a connection."

"Are you trying to get to the old castle?" Sam asked him, seeing him nod in return. "Maybe something's off there. Like, could there be too much darkness or something?"

"I doubt it-corridors are made with darkness," he explained, shivering from the cold as he turned around and asked Bedivere. "How long would it take us by foot to get to the Horned King's castle?"

"Assuming he is based in the same area, a little more than a week," Bedivere replied.

"We can't take that long…" Riku mumbled, turning back around. He placed his hand to his chin, thinking it over.

"Maybe the King was able to block any Corridors from appearing at his castle," Sam suggested. "I mean, you said he's made of darkness now. Maybe he has the ability to do that sort of thing."

"Maybe…" Riku somewhat agreed with a thoughtful tone.

"Could you make a Corridor near the castle? Like a couple miles away?" Sam asked.

"I'll try," Riku nodded, holding out his hand again and closing his eyes. "Last time I was there with Hinata, we spotted the castle from some mountains… Maybe I can go there..." As the words left his mouth, a black portal sprouted from the ground, pulsating powerfully. Riku opened his eyes and smirked, "There, that worked." He glanced over his shoulder and motioned towards the portal, "Alright, let's get going."

"Go… in there?" Taran asked unsurely as he slowly backed up until Mordred tightly grabbed his shoulder and shoved him forward.

"Come on," Mordred growled, "the faster we are, the quicker I can get away from you."

Taran frowned and rubbed his sore shoulder as he complied and entered the portal, followed by Eirian with Ben on her back and Jack floating beside them.

As Mordred neared the portal, Riku commented, "You going to be mean to him the whole time?"

"Only when he annoys me," Mordred replied, crossing his arms. "Which, if he's anything like you were, will be all the time."

Riku scoffed, "Just get in the portal."

Mordred chuckled as he walked inside, followed closely by Bedivere. Sam sighed and sent Riku a look before she went in as well. Once alone, Riku scanned their surroundings once more, making sure no one was around, before escaping inside the portal and making it disappear behind him. They all reached the other side of the Corridor within minutes, even with Taran gawking at the unusual surroundings.

As they entered the light at the end of the Corridor, they came out on a snowy mountainside. The wind whooshed past them at harder, sharper speeds, sending ice shards into them and making them shield their faces with their arms. It was difficult to see anything more than the blinding white of the snow around them until Riku lifted his hands and surrounded them with a shimmering shield. Harsh winds and snow hit the sides of the domed shield, but inside with the group, it was suddenly calm and oddly tranquil.

"Everyone alright?" Riku called out, his voice barely heard over the whistling wind outside their safe shield. He got a grumble of answers in return as he looked around, trying to make out anything outside the shield that could resemble a path. Bedivere caught his attention when he placed his hand on Riku's shoulder.

"I believe I spot a cavern not far from us," Bedivere told him calmly. "It may be wise to find shelter inside so you can rest and recover your strength before we move on."

"Agreed," Riku quickly concurred, "Lead the way."

Bedivere simply nodded as he walked back towards the mountainside. As Riku walked beside him, he could barely make out a darkened circle in the mountain, but as they got closer he could see that it was indeed a cave. As everyone entered the cavern, Riku released the shield, stumbling forward from a combination of the strong outside winds rushing into him and the loss of energy from his body. He leaned against the entrance of the cave, welcoming the chilling air and icy snow on his warmed skin as. Looking outside, he paid attention to the falling snow, noticing something peculiar. The wind was moving in a circular motion, as if it was spinning around something huge. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at it, barely noticing as Bedivere walked up beside him.

"Notice something?" Bedivere inquired, startling Riku slightly.

Riku whipped his attention to him for a moment, before looking back outside. "Yeah… I think so anyways." He paused for a moment before explaining. "It… sort of looks like the wind and snow is swirling around something."

Bedivere stared outside for a silent minute. "Hmm…." he hummed, "I believe you just might be onto something. It may just also be the reason you were unable to create the portal earlier."

"You think so?" Riku asked, looking up at him.

"Indeed," Bedivere nodded, "I believe the Horned King's new domain may be what's in the center of that blizzard and perhaps the weather conditions were too severe to keep the connection."

Riku frowned and bit the inside of his cheek. "I was worried that might be the case… How is he doing that? It takes more than just darkness to create something like that."

"He may not be working alone," Bedivere suggested, "Or it's also very possible he has a vast array of powerful enchanted objects at his disposal. There are many items in this land that could control or influence the weather."

"We've really got our work cut out for us," Riku sighed as he looked over to Bedivere. "This is getting a lot tougher than we initially intended. If you or Mordred don't want to take the risk, I-"

"We aren't going anywhere," Mordred interrupted, making both Bedivere and Riku look back at him. "It's been months since I've had a decent bounty job. I'm not missing out on the chance to take out those damned Heartless." He motioned his head behind him, "If you're worried about the risk, look at them. They're the ones you should be worried about."

Riku looked past him towards the others. Sam was sitting down on the cave floor, talking calmly to Eirian as Ben chatted away to Taran about their off world adventures. With a sigh towards Ben's continued blatant disregard for the world order, he turned his attention back to Mordred.

"I might send Ben and Jack back at least," Riku agreed. "But we need to figure out a way to get past the blizzard and into the castle…" he looked back outside towards the swirling snow, "If that's even what's in the center of that mess."

"I'll look around," Mordred told him as he turned around and walked away, "These caves might lead somewhere."

"Alright…" Riku quietly replied as he glanced back at Sam, catching her gaze in his. "How are you feeling about this?"

"I'm following your lead," she shrugged in response. "As long as we get Hen Wen in the end, I won't complain."

Riku slightly smirked, "That's a relief at least." He walked towards the rest of the group, "Ben, Jack…" As they turned to look at them, he knelt down in front of them and explained. "It's going to get a bit dangerous; it would probably be better if you guys wait on the ship."

Ben's lantern eyes slightly dimmed as he let out a sigh, "You're probably right…"

Reaching into his pocket, Riku pulled out his communication device and handed it to Ben. "And try giving Hinata a call once you get back to the ship. The connection might work better up there."

Taking the device in his metal hand, Ben nodded and replied with a saddened voice, "Yes'sir." Using his free hand, Ben pressed on a small compartment on his chest, about where his compass used to be in his previous body. It went inward before flipping around to reveal a small control board.

"So that's how you beam yourself back to the ship," Sam commented, looking at the control board with interest.

Ben glanced up and nodded, "Yeah! I calibrated the controls into myself so we could beam back no matter where we are!" With a single finger, he pressed a larger red button, but other than letting out a faint chime, nothing happened. "Huh…?" Ben asked as he pressed the button a few more times without a result. "It's not working…"

"You're kidding, right?" Riku hung his head with a light groan.

"But that doesn't make sense!" Ben exclaimed. "It's never not worked before!"

"Why can't you make one of those portal things to get him back?" Taran spoke up.

Riku sighed as he pushed himself to stand. "I was hoping I wouldn't need to. I need to save my strength for the mission… but I guess there isn't any other way." He held out his hand to summon the Corridor.

"Wait!" Ben jumped up, making Riku pause. "Save your strength! Just let Jack and I tag along for the whole mission! We can stay out of the way, and Jack is basically invincible! He might be helpful!"

"Ben is super tiny right now," Sam pointed out. "And he's becoming buddy buddy with Eirian. I'm sure she'll protect him."

Riku frowned but nodded, "Alright. But don't expect me to go out of my way to protect you. I have enough things to worry about."

"Yes'sir!" Ben saluted, his eyes brightening with his excitement. "You won't regret it!"

"And stop telling people about other worlds," Riku reminded him. "I don't how many times you have to be told not to do that."

"Wait, those stories are true?" Taran asked in astonishment.

"No," Riku quickly averted the question as he turned around. "Now we need to figure out a way to get out of here."

"I came back just in time then," Mordred got their attention as he walked towards them with a large cloth satchel in his hands and a smug smirk on his face. "This is one of the tunnels I used to use when I was still a bounty hunter at the castle, it should lead to the catacombs."

"How can you know for sure?" Sam asked, getting up from her seat beside Eirian. She walked towards him and crossed her arms. "There's probably a good dozen of caves on this mountain and we just happen to go into the exact one you used to use?"

"Actually," Bedivere spoke up, joining the group, "There used to be an entire labyrinth of tunnels underneath the castle that led to different parts of Prydain. It was a quick and easy way for Bounty Hunters under the King's rule to get from job to job without the need to stop in neighboring towns, especially if those towns had a bounty on the hunter's head."

Taran huffed, "So you're saying that when I was trying to escape the Horned King's with my friends and Hen Wen last year, I could have just taken those tunnels rather than using the front gate?"

"Unlikely," Bedivere shook his head. "The tunnels were well hidden and without knowledge of where they lead and which ones to take, you very well could have easily gotten lost and never found your way out of them."

"Sam had a good question still," Riku interrupted, waving his hands to get everyone else to stop talking. He looked to Mordred. "How do you know this is one of those tunnels?"

"This," Mordred held up the satchel. "It's one of my satchels I kept in the tunnels. It's filled with backup supplies of dry food and weapons in case I needed them for a mission."

"There should also be engravings on some of the rock walls," Bedivere added. "In a miner's code used to tell hunters where to go."

"Yeah, yeah, saw that too." Mordred waved him off before looking back to Riku. "It will lead us right into the castle-"

"And into the eye of the blizzard…" Riku finished for him, placing his hand on his chin.

"Assuming the entire tunnel isn't collapsed once it gets to the castle." Sam pointed out. "Didn't you say the castle was destroyed the last time you were here?"

"It is quite possible the tunnel-ways stayed intact," Bedivere assured her, as he walked forward to join them. Placing his hand to his chin, he added, "However, the only way we'll know for sure is by going through them to see for ourselves. At the moment, it seems like our only option."

"Yeah…" Riku slowly and thoughtfully replied, his gaze fixated on the dark inner cave. "If we get to the end and just find everything collapsed, we'll double back and figure out something else."

"Works for me," Sam shrugged. Turning towards the darkened cave, she moved her caped coat away from her left arm, revealing her mechanical arm and allowing its blue glow to illuminate the way. She ignore the wave of gasps and murmurs from the others as she walked forward, leading the way.

"What in the blazes is that?" Mordred asked rather loudly, his voice echoing through the cave as Sam groaned.

"What do you think it is?" She asked him in return, glancing behind her as Mordred jogged to meet her pace. He shook his head, for once at a loss for words. Sam smirked as she looked back forward and continued leading on.

The sunlight outside slowly dwindled away as they ventured further into the cave, causing the blue light from Sam's arm to be the only illumination for them, spare for the small amount of light from Ben's eyes that merely lit the way for him. Odd carvings were barely visible along the cave's rocky walls, casting dark eerie shadows around them as they walked. Sam could hear the huddled footsteps behind her as she led forward with the occasional comment from Ben to Taran or a low growl from Eirian who was unhappy to be in such a tight and confined space.

Glancing beside her to Mordred, Sam asked quietly, "How did you guys used to see in the caves?"

"I usually had a torch," he replied gruffly. "If I had known we'd be back in these caves, I would have made sure to bring one."

"Can't you make your arm any brighter?" Taran complained, grumbling as he stumbled over an unforeseeable rock. "I can't see anything back here."

"This is as bright as it gets," Sam answered, "Anyone else is welcome to light the way instead."

A sudden purple light in the corner of Sam's eye made her whip her attention around to see Riku holding a flickering purple and blue flame in the palm of his hand. It proved to be brighter than the crystal in Sam's arm and lit the entire narrow cavern as far as they could see.

"Couldn't have done that earlier?" Sam put her arms out at her side with a frown.

"I don't exactly have a ton of magic reserves to keep this up for long," Riku reminded her as he walked forward and took over leading the way. "But I can light the way for a little while."

"At least I can see better," Taran spoke up. He uncomfortably eyed the ball of flame in Riku's hand, but didn't dare to question it.

The group fell back to silence as they continued through the cavern, the flickering flame lighting the way. Jack fretfully darted around the group, whimpering and occasionally letting out a low growl. Sam lifted her hand as he passed her way, patting him on the head in an attempt to calm him down.

"What's wrong, boy?" She asked him with a hushed and calmed voice. "Don't like the cave?"

Jack nuzzled into her hand, but continued to whimper. Floating away from her hand, he looked further down the cavern and suddenly flew on ahead.

"Jack!" Sam called after him, running after him for a moment before he flew out of sight.

"What's its deal?" Mordred asked.

"He seems to be wary of something," Bedivere spoke up, running his hand along Eirian's snout. "Perhaps he senses danger ahead?"

"Maybe we're reaching the end of the cave!" Ben suggested as he climbed onto Eirian's back.

"It is starting to get colder again," Taran agreed, running his hands along his arms.

"We have to find him," Sam spun around towards Riku.

"He'll be alright," he assured her. "He wouldn't wander off without coming back. He's too loyal for that."

Sam frowned and opened her mouth to object before she was cut off by Jack's bark echoing further down the cavern. With a gasp, Sam sprinted towards the sound, yelling behind her, "Stay with the others!"

She heard Riku call after her but ignored him as she hurried after Jack. The glow from her arm lit her path. She vaulted over a rock blocking her path and landed on the other side, stirring up a cloud of dust. Looking back up, she noticed faint white puffs of air appearing right in front of her lips with every heavy breath. A chilling icy wind ruffled her hair as she got back up to her feet and continued.

"Jack?" She called out as she ran, not appreciating the ever growing harsher winds pushing against her.

His bark answered her, as well as the clamoring of something metal. The clanking was rhythmic, one after the other as if they were metal boots walking towards her. Sam held out her mechanical arm, hearing the whir of it powering up as she listened intently and cautiously moved forward. Further down the cavern, she could see the faintest glint of a metal helmet reflecting the glow from her arm.

Sam scowled and whispered, "Heartless!"

As the word left her mouth, the creature stepped into the light, revealing it was a Soldier Heartless. Sam held out her open palm, ready to fire a blast of energy, but she paused. Something was off about it. It calmly stared up at her, it's red claws down at its sides as it lightly kicked the ground with its boots, lacking the usual twitch that Heartless had. The bottom of the beaked helmet slowly opened and a familiar bark came out of it, making Sam jump.

"Jack?!" She exclaimed, getting a string of barks in return as the Soldier shook and Jack's ghost body flew out of it. "How in the world did you do that?"

Jack proudly wagged his tail in response as the Heartless shook his head, regaining its own consciousness. With a startle, it jumped back from them and bared its claws. Sam scoffed and held out her palm, firing a short blast of energy. The blast shot straight through its torso, making the rest of it crumble to the ground and disintegrate.

"What were you thinking?" Sam softly scolded Jack. "How did you even figure out you could do that?"

"Sam?" Taran's voice echoed to them. "Are you nearby?"

"Yeah, I just caught up with Jack!" She called back, seeing the purple glow of Riku's flame as they caught up to her.

"You shouldn't have run off like that," Riku scolded Sam with a frown, sweat gleaming on his skin despite the icy wind around them. "What if there were Heartless in here?"

"Well there were, apparently," Sam motioned to Jack proudly floating beside her. "Jack somehow managed to possess one of those Soldier Heartless."

"Really?" Riku asked, looking over at Jack. As Jack barked in agreement, he smirked. "Cool, that could be pretty helpful."

"And dangerous," Sam pointed out.

"Wait, what do you mean by possess?" Taran asked with a bit of a shake in his voice.

"Who cares?" Mordred growled. "Let's keep moving, I'm starting to feel cramped in this damned cave."

"Alright, let's keep going," Riku nodded, pushing forward until Sam stopped him.

"Let me light the way," she motioned her head towards the flame flickering in his palm. "You're obviously getting exhausted and you'll need your strength."

Riku reluctantly nodded and clenched his hand closed, fizzing the flame out of existence and allowing the glow from Sam's arm to be the only lighting around them. "Thanks…" he quietly told her as Sam smirked in response.

"Yeah," she turned back around and looked down the cavern. "If Jack was able to find that Heartless, there should be more nearby-"

"Which could mean a way out," Mordred finished, pushing forward. "Well what are we waiting for then?"

As if in response a loud clamor of metal boots echoed towards them, making everyone pause. Jack's ears flattened on his head as he growled, knowing exactly what was to come. Mordred began to draw his sword, but Sam put out her hand to stop him.

"Not a lot of room for a sword fight," she told him, holding out her mechanical arm, powering it up.

"Is that the best idea?" Riku asked.

"Do you have a better one?" she asked in return, glancing behind her at him. "Everyone stay back, alright? I've got this."

Mordred looked to Riku with an unconvinced look, but Riku nodded. With a roll of his eyes, Mordred walked back to the group per Sam's instructions. "Fine, let the girl handle it." he grumbled under his breath.

They waited as the metal clanging grew in volume until they could see the glint of multiple Soldiers heading straight towards them. Heat emanated from Sam's arm as it began to reach its maximum power range. A faint smirk teased the corner of her mouth as she saw the dozens of Soldiers stampeding towards her. The moment they stepped into the light and the front line could be fully seen, Sam held out both of her hands and fired a massive beam of energy straight in front of her.

"What the blazes!?" Mordred exclaimed, jumping back in unison with Taran yelling out in surprise.

Bedivere simply covered his eyes from the intense light as Ben stared, downright giddy, with his mouth gaped open. Riku rolled his eyes, thinking to himself that Sam was showing off, but he couldn't shake the tiniest feeling that she was actually doing something rather cool.

The blast disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, fizzing out of existence and leaving a massive pile of green and clear orbs in its wake, without a Heartless in sight.

Sam looked over her shoulder, making sure to make eye contact with a bewildered Mordred before asking, "Did I handle it well enough for ya?"

Riku scoffed and walked forward, absorbing a good amount of the green and clear orbs into his skin. He took in a deep breath from the new adrenaline pumping into him and turned around to see Mordred arguing with Sam over what had just happened. Loudly clearing his throat, he caught their attention, "Let's keep moving."

Without waiting for their response, he turned and continued walking, allowing some of the surrounding orbs to meld into him. Even without the glow from Sam's arm lighting the path, he had grown accustomed enough to the darkness that he could see his way.

"What are these things?" Taran asked as he tipped toed through the pile of orbs until a couple green orbs absorbed into him, "Ah! I think some of them just went inside of me!" He frantically pulled at his clothes, "What's happen-"

"Calm down," Sam quickly interrupted his panic, grabbing onto his arm. "It's just leftover stuff from the Heartless. The green ones help you heal and give you energy boosts. The clear ones recover magic. Alright? You're fine."

When Taran slowly nodded as he took in a few deep breaths, Sam patted him on the back and continued moving forward. She jogged forward and matched her pace with Riku's, glancing over at him beside her. "You doing alright?"

He barely looked over at her and nodded, "Yeah, I'm…" he let out a breath and confessed with a whisper, "I'm just worried about Hinata."

Sam softly smiled and glanced behind her, making sure the others couldn't hear them. "I'm sure she's fine. As long as she's at the mansion she'll be fine."

"Yeah… I just hope everything went alright with Xion." he replied with a frown.

"Me too," Sam nodded. "But let's not worry about that right now."

"Yeah, you're right," Riku took in a deep breath. "I just-"

He stopped mid-sentence when he felt a snowflake land on his cheek. He reached up, feeling the wet piece of melted ice against his skin. Looking up, he saw small flakes of snow breezing towards them from up ahead.

"We must be close to some sort of exit," Sam held out her own hand, catching a few flakes as well.

"Stay with the others and light the way," Riku placed his hand on her shoulder before running forward, "I'll go on ahead."

Without waiting for her response, he went off, sprinting until he could no longer hear their footsteps echoing behind him. The snow began to grow in its intensity, more and more of it swirling into the cave with the rough winds. Riku welcomed the chill as he ran, barely making out a ray of sunlight around the corner. As he turned, he covered his eyes from the sudden intense light shining through the cave's exit. He slowly removed his arm from his face and saw a handful of Shadow Heartless blocking the exit. Summoning Soul Eater, he lunged forward and took them out easily with a couple slices.

The cave's exit let out right inside the eye in the swirling blizzard. Even here in the relative calm he felt bombarded with strong winds and snow. His heart sank at the sight before him; a towering castle made out of what could best be described as thick sludgy darkness.

Thick stones were stuck together with the dark sludge to create a thin crumbling bridge over the familiar chasm that Riku remembered from his previous visit to Prydain. Flying Heartless of all types circled the top of the castle, swarming around a spire of ice that protruded from the highest tower. The spire seemed to be the source of the raging storm, energy pulsating from the ice and into the clouds. Around the base of this disturbingly built castle were swarms of Heartless, clumped together to create what looked like festering piles of black insects.

Riku stood silently, his stern expression hard to read as he heard the others slowly approaching. Sam walked up beside him, saying something about having a hard time catching up to him, until she saw the castle in front of them and stopped short. Her mouth fell agape as she realized what they were really up against.

"Well shit…" she finally spoke up, making Riku chuckle unexpectedly.

"Yeah," he replied with a bit of odd humor in his voice. "That's about what I thought too."

"Aw yeah!" Mordred hooted as he came out of the cave. He pumped his fist into the air. "I am going to slaughter these guys!"

Taran eyed Mordred with obvious concern as he carefully walked out of the cave, making sure to steer clear of Mordred. He looked up at the castle and gulped loudly, yet oddly didn't say anything about it. The moment Eirian was outside, she spread her wings and soared into the sky, barely glancing at what was in front of them. Ben let out an excited yell, tightly grasping his short arms around her neck as they ascended into the air.

"Should we be worried about that?" Sam whispered to Riku as she watched them fly off.

"Safer up there than getting in the way down here," Riku replied as he turned around to see Bedivere silently observing their circumstances. Bedivere caught his gaze and simply smiled in return. "What are you thinking?" Riku asked.

Bedivere turned his gaze back to the castle and the horde of Heartless surrounding it. He took a deep breath and admitted, "I believe we have a difficult day ahead of us." He looked back to Riku and added, "But not one that we cannot handle."

"Of course we can handle this!" Mordred added excitedly, almost giddy with anticipation as he slung his large blade over his shoulder. "There's a ton of those bastards, but they're the easy ones."

Riku looked back to the Heartless horde by the bridge to see that a majority of them were indeed Shadows or Soldiers. It would be relatively easy for his group to take them on. He smirked, "You're right. We take those guys out, then we're in."

"It seems that the Horned King did not expect anyone to get through his barrier of ice." Bedivere added, walking forward and beginning to descend the rocky hill they found themselves on. "He did not fortify his fortress well."

"As well as we know," Sam pointed out before looking over to Taran, who had yet to say anything since seeing the castle. As the others went on ahead, she put her hand on his shoulder. "You alright?"

Swallowing hard, Taran shortly nodded, "Just… never thought I'd be here again." He looked over at Sam with a bit of a forced smile. "Last time I was here… it didn't go well."

"Yeah, so I've heard." Sam chuckled softly, noticing Taran giving her a surprised look, "Oh, uh-Hinata told me about it. At least a little bit anyways."

Taran let out a sigh, "I sure wish Hinata were here instead of Riku… but, Riku really does seem like he's changed."

"You know, Hinata told me something about that whole situation you might like to know," Sam rubbed the back of her neck.

"What is it?" he looked over at her.

"Riku didn't want to capture you guys," she began walking down the hill, causing Taran to follow after her.

"He was just following orders…" Taran finished, a bit bitterly.

"Well, no, I don't think so," Sam admitted, "That's not what I heard anyways. Hinata said that when him, Bedivere, and Mordred found you guys, Riku fought to get that Cauldron destroyed right there without anyone getting hurt. It was the others that insisted they capture you guys and bring you back to the castle."

"Wait…" Taran stopped walking. "Bedivere and Mordred… you mean the two other guys with us? They helped with that?"

Sam paused and suddenly closed her eyes, "Oh dammit, you didn't know that, did you…?"

"Of course not! The only one I saw was Riku!" Taran stomped up to Sam and threw his arms up, "You mean that I'm not on a mission with ONE of my captors, but all THREE of them!?"

Sam was silent for a moment before saying, "Think... think of it as giving them a second chance. They aren't wanting to capture you now and you're all working towards a common goal."

Taran scoffed and went on ahead, grumbling under his breath. Sam stared after him with a frown as Jack floated back to her from the group up ahead and snuggled into her cheek.

"That could have gone better," she muttered as she scratched Jack behind the ears. Shaking her head, she pushed herself forward, jogging to catch up with the others.

As she reached the rest of the group, they were nearing the thin rocky bridge that led across the steep chasm to the castle. Heartless festered around the start of the bridge and their malleable heads turned towards them as they heard the group approaching. Their yellow eyes glowed as they twitched and slowly began to charge towards them.

"Been waiting all day for this," Mordred ran forward with his blade ready, letting out a hearty laugh as he swung and took out six of the Shadows right in front of him.

"Incoming!" Ben's voice yelled out as Eirian swooped down with her wings stretched out wide and went across the center of the horde, catching well over a dozen in her claws while others disintegrated upon impact with her wings against their necks. She flew back up with the Heartless captured in her claws and dropped them over the chasm below.

"That is indeed my girl!" Bedivere cheered out as Eirian flew back into the sky, clearing his throat when he noticed the others looking over at him. Pulling out his rapier from its sheath, he ignored their looks and charged forward, joining Mordred in the fray.

Riku summoned Soul Eater and sent Sam a nod before he ran forward, grabbing her arm, spinning and throwing her forward, towards the center of the horde. Sam rolled as she hit the ground and instantly sat up, firing a long blast at the Heartless surrounding her, before activating her plasma shield to block an oncoming attack and bringing out her staff to swing it around her.

Even Jack joined the battle as he floated near Sam, going into random Heartless to force them to attack their own until his host was destroyed and he flew into another. Taran stood at the back, shakily taking out whatever Heartless were right in front of him with his blade. He sliced through a Shadow, letting out a breath of relief as it disintegrated, but not noticing as two Soldiers approached him from behind. He turned last second and stumbled back to the ground in surprise, frozen in fear as they jumped towards him, baring their sharp red claws before they burst and disintegrated in a bright purple flame. With a heaving chest, Taran looked over to see Riku, who was just putting down his arm after summoning the dark firaga to take them out. Riku gave him a short nod before moving on to continue his attack against the horde.

"We've broken through!" Bedivere yelled out, getting everyone's attention, "Now's our chance to get inside!"

"Right! Let's go!" Riku ordered, looking to Sam and Taran to make sure they got the message, before running towards the bridge.

Mordred took a couple more full swings before turning and running with the others along the bridge. The edge of the stone crumbled as they stomped across, but held strong. Riku stayed at the back, taking out excess Heartless until the others were across. Bedivere lifted his hand to his mouth, letting out a shrill whistle that got a roar from Eirian in response as she immediately flew down to them and landed right beside the stone double doored entrance to the castle. Riku ran across the bridge, firing one last string of Dark Aura against the Heartless before turning to face the door. Dark sludge dripped from the thick cracks in the door, making Riku feel almost sick to his stomach as he placed his hands against the stone door along with the others and pushed. With a loud creak, the door finally gave way, slowly scraping open to allow them entrance. The disgusting stench of darkness bombarded their senses the moment they were inside, making all of them cough and gag.

As expected, the inside was darkened, dim green-fire lit torches lined the walls of the stone ladened room, two staircases went up to a second level and hallways were in almost every direction. More Heartless were inside, rising out of pools of the dark sludge splattered on the floor and walls.

"This place is disgusting," Sam coughed, covering her nose with her hand.

"Yeah…" Riku slowly replied, looking at each possible path.

"Which way do we go?" Mordred asked, stepping forward to challenge the growing Heartless.

"It would be best to stay together," Bedivere spoke softly, scanning the area just as Riku was.

"Does anything look familiar to you?" Riku turned and looked up at Bedivere. "Any idea where the throne room would be?'

Before Bedivere could answer, they could hear Taran gagging and retching behind them as he threw up from the overwhelming foul stench. "I wish I stayed home…" he whispered weakly with a shaking voice. Sam went over and patted his back as Riku looked back to Bedivere.

"Unfortunately no," Bedivere confessed with a bit of a sigh. He looked around, "This design is nothing like the castle the Horned King had before. Yet if I were to guess, I would imagine the throne room would be higher up, if not on the top floor."

"What makes you say that?" Mordred asked as he eyed the Heartless, who seemed content to stay in their black sludged puddles, staring silently at them with glowing eyes.

"Because that's where I would have my throne room," Bedivere answered plainly.

"It's worth a shot," Riku shrugged, walking forward beside Mordred to look at the immobile Heartless, "Let's get moving, something tells me the Horned King is using these guys to keep an eye on us. Don't let your guard down."

Sam pulled Taran back up to his feet as the rest of the group made their way towards one of the staircases. Taran weakly walked beside her, dragging his feet as he pushed himself forward.

"Come on," Sam urged him, pulling on his arm as she walked up the stone staircase, careful to avoid stepping in any loose darkness splattered across the steps. "We don't want to fall behind."

Taran nodded numbly as he quickened his pace and allowed Sam to remove her hand from his arm when she knew he could keep up. Reaching the second floor, they were met with four possible hallways to travel, each lined with black wiry torches lit with green flames. A new staircase was nowhere in sight and glowing yellow eyes bore into them from the splattered darkness along the walls.

"Which way?" Sam asked, walking towards the nearest hallway and looking down it.

"We could split up," Mordred suggested, "Split into teams to go down each path."

"That would be unwise," Bedivere pointed out, looking intently down each hall. "We do not know what to expect here and it would be best if we stayed together."

Jack barked, getting their attention as he floated towards the far right hall. Motioning his head towards the path and a faint wag of his tail, he turned and flew into it, disappearing from their sight.

"Better than nothing," Sam shrugged as she ran on ahead to follow Jack.

Splintered wooden doors were on either side of the walls, some of them emitting a dark purple mist and others oozing the black sludge that seemed to be a common accent for the entire castle. Sam looked at it all with distaste, glancing behind her at the others who obviously shared her sentiment for the decor. Jack barked, getting their attention once again as he floated through the doors in front of them; weaving in and out of the rooms, scoping them out.

"That pet of yours is actually pretty helpful." Mordred nudged Riku with his elbow. "Any other tricks it can do?"

Riku opened his mouth to respond, but was stopped short when Jack poked his head out from one of the doors, giving out a string of barks before disappearing back inside.

"He said there's something we should see in there!" Ben interpreted for them, sliding down from Eirian's back.

He toddled ahead, pushing past the others until he reached the wooden door Jack had led them too. With a grunt, he shoved his short hands against it, barely moving it until Riku came up behind him and opened the door for him.

"Thank you!" Ben chimed as he ran inside, skidding to a stop with his mouth agape at the sight.

Three fully grown Gwythaints growled loudly at the far end of the room, with black spiked chains tightly wrapped around their necks and legs. Thick, deep gashes were cut in their black and scaly skin, given to them by the sharp clawed hands of the Heartless surrounding them. In the center of the room was a sizable nest-like structure made of blackened tree branches and the dark sludge. Three large speckled eggs were resting in the nest, occasionally twitching as the little creatures inside of the shells moved around.

"He's breeding them…" Bedivere spoke with a grave tone in his voice, his right hand clenched around the hilt of his blade as he glared at the scene in front of them.

Eirian ran forward, growling at the sight and instantly slashing her claws at the Heartless in the room. The other Gwythaints let out roars at the sight of Eirian, cheering her on as she massacred the Heartless.

"Come on, we need to help!" Sam ran forward, firing a blast at a Heartless about to hit one of the chained up creatures.

The others immediately joined in, spare for Taran who stayed safely right outside the room. They made quick work of all the enemies in the room, even scaring away the extra Heartless that were clumped in the puddles of darkness along the walls and ceiling. Eirian rubbed her head along one of the chained up Gwythaints, as they emitted deep-throated sounds to each other. Sam slowly and carefully walked up to the Gwythaint, grabbing the chain that kept it secured against the wall and charged up her mechanical hand.

"Lady Sam, stop!" Bedivere exclaimed, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back. "I want these creatures to be saved as much as you, but they are wild and untamed. There is no telling what they will do to any of us if they are released."

"I can't just leave them here," Sam motioned towards them, "I mean, just look at how close Eirian seems with them. You really want to just leave them here?"

"I do not want to," Bedivere looked solemnly at the chained up animals before slowly pulling out his left arm that was hidden in his jacket, revealing his stubbed arm.

Sam's eyes widened with a gasp at the sight.

"Please trust me when I say, I know what these creatures are capable of." He concealed his stubbed hand back in his coat before adding, "It's too dangerous to let them go free while we are here."

Sam looked back at the creatures as Riku stepped forward, "Come on, Sam. There isn't anything we can do. We need to keep moving."

"Everyone get out," Sam ordered with a low voice.

"Sam-" Riku grabbed her arm.

"Get everyone out," Sam brought her determined gaze back up to Riku's, "I'll let them go and catch up."

"Don't be stupid," Mordred scoffed, "Let's ju-"

"Just get out!" Sam yelled, clenching her hands tightly closed.

"It's your funeral," Mordred grumbled under his breath as he turned and left the room, pushing Taran out of the way of the doorway.

"Are you sure about this?" Riku spoke with a quieted voice as he eyed the restless creatures. "This is risky, even for you."

"I'll be fine. If I have to… I'll defend myself and take them out," she swallowed hard, "But it won't come to that."

"I can help," he offered in return.

Sam quickly shook her head, "You need to keep an eye on the rest of the group. I'll be fine."

Bedivere sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I understand where your heart is coming from and won't stop you." Giving Riku a nod, he turned and left the room.

"Don't die, Hinata would kill me," Riku plainly told her, finally conceding.

Sam strained him a smile as he let out a long breath and turned to leave the room, bringing Ben along with him. Turning back around, Sam looked at the Gwythaints, each roaring and growling, clawing towards her and pulling on their chains, only digging the spikes further into their skin. Taking a deep breath, she walked back up to the first one where Eirian was still comforting. She carefully grabbed the chain, and held out the palm of her mechanical arm. It glowed brilliantly as she powered up a controlled and continuous blast of energy that only went forward by a couple inches. Ever so slowly, she sliced through the chain, the energy causing the metal to glow a bright orange as it melted away. The moment the chain went slack when she had cut all the way through, the Gwythaint froze, immediately noticing something different. Taking the moment, Sam grabbed the chain around the creature's neck, noticing Eirian's glowing green eyes watching her as she cut through the chain once more. The Gwythaint began to wriggle, making Sam have to speed up the process. The instant the chain fell free, the Gwythaint let out a massive roar, spreading its wings and tossing Sam to the ground with a hard thud from the movement. Without looking at the others, the Gwythaint barreled towards the door, escaping and leaving the others to their own devices.

Sam's chest heaved heavily as she pushed herself to stand back up. Eirian nudged her arm, leading her to the next Gwythaint. The next one growled as it already saw Sam approaching and despite Eirian communicating with it, it backed up, curling against the wall.

"I-it's alright," Sam tried to soothe it as she powered up the small energy beam from her arm. "I won't hurt you, I just want to help."

The Gwythaint scampered back, the spikes along its back standing at attention, ready to strike. Its growl grew in volume as Sam began slicing through the chain. It slashed its claw towards her, but the chain stopped it from moving more than a couple inches. Sam took a deep shaking breath as the chain fell slack, waiting to see if the creature would strike again without the restriction of the chain. Instead, the creature looked between Eirian and Sam, staying perfectly still as Sam went forward and grabbed the chain around its neck, cutting it loose. As the chain fell to the ground, the Gwythaint slowly walked along the edge of the room until it reached the door, and then flew out.

"Just one more," Sam smiled uneasily at Eirian, "I can do this."

The last Gwythaint roared in response, its glowing green eyes were narrowed and hardened as it glared at Sam approaching. It jumped and desperately tried to fly away, only being kept down by the spiked chain digging deeper and deeper into its skin. Eirian flew in front of it and tried to calm it down, but instead it only hissed in response, wriggling furiously when Sam grabbed the chain. Sam clenched her hand around the chain to keep it steady, feeling the spikes cutting through her gloves and into her skin, as she sliced through it with her mechanical hand. The moment it fell loose, Sam jumped back, avoiding a spiked tail swung her way. The Gwythaint growled and bucked, trying to kick off the bindings around its neck.

Sam carefully walked back towards it, making sure to keep back from its violent thrashing. "I need to get the chain around its neck off before it can go."

Eirian glanced at her before suddenly jumping up, landing on the Gwythaint's back and shoving it to the ground. It wriggled underneath her claws, trying to bite her off, but due to the remaining chains, was unable to take her on. Sam gave Eirian a thankful nod as she carefully walked forward and grabbed the chain around its neck before it snapped at her with a growl.

"It's alright," Sam hushed it, putting out her hands, "I promise, I'm just trying to help."

She tried to approach once more, but was snapped at, causing Eirian to lift one of her own claws, and firmly hold down the Gwythaint's mouth. Sam took the opportunity and rushed forward, quickly cutting through the chain. The creature twitched, causing Sam to accidentally slice a cut across its neck, making it glare at her. She apologized, but continued, finally cutting through the chain and allowing it to freely fall to the ground.

With a roar, the Gwythaint, shoved Eirian off and spread its wings. Sam stumbled backwards, falling to the ground and twisting her ankle. She winced and scrambled back a few feet, gasping as she saw the Gwythaint staring right at her, scraping its claws against the floor. With a low growl, it stalked towards her before it suddenly leapt right at her. Letting out a scream, Sam held out her arm, about to summon a bolt of energy.

"Sam!" Riku's voice caused her to open her eyes again and she saw a shimmering shield surrounding her as the Gwythaint clawed at it from the outside.

Her chest heaving, Sam looked towards the door to see Riku holding out his hands, summoning the shield around her. Eirian let out a roar, jumping on top of the freed Gwythaint and biting its neck, rendering it instantly immobile as it fell limp. Sam brought her hand to her mouth at the sight, biting back a scream. She barely realized the shield around her fizzing away as Riku came over and grabbed her arm, forcing her to her feet.

"Gah!" She suddenly yelped out, falling forward and grabbing her leg, "My ankle…"

"I thought I told you not to get killed," Riku grumbled as he sent a green mist to her ankle, making her cringe at the painful recovery. "If I hadn't been here-"

"I got two of them out…" she mumbled in interruption, glancing back at the lifeless Gwythaint that Eirian had slain to protect her.

"That's great, but you almost died in the process," Riku pointed out, pulling her towards the doorway. "The others are a bit ahead, Bedivere is leading the way. I had a feeling you'd need help, so I doubled back."

"Thanks…" she told him, stopping by the nest. "What do we do about these eggs?"

"We can't carry them with us, if that's what you're thinking," Riku pulled on her arm. "Come on, we need to get moving."

Eirian walked over to the eggs and sniffed them, nudging one of them with her snout. Spreading out her wings, she flapped and hovered upwards until she was right over the eggs and carefully clasped a claw around two of them.

"Eirian will take care of them," Riku assured her, still pulling on her arm.

Sam gave Eirian a small smile and a nod before turning and following after Riku,slightly limping as her ankle was still healing from Riku's magic. She kept her eyes down as Riku led the way, they met back up with the rest of the group within a few minutes.

Bedivere placed his hand along Sam's arm. "I am relieved to find you safe." She looked up at him and slightly smiled before he looked around, "Where is Eirian?"

"She's taking care of the eggs," Sam softly spoke, "We were able to get two of the Gwythaints out, but… Eirian had to kill the last one."

"What matters is that you made it out in one piece," Taran spoke up, coming over and giving Sam a smile. "I'm glad you made it back. We were getting worried."

"I wasn't," Mordred grumbled with his arms crossed.

Sam softly chuckled, "Thanks. I'm glad I'm back too."

"So Eirian left?" Ben toddled over with his eyes dimmed.

"She'll be alright," Sam assured him, kneeling down to his level. "She's taking care of the eggs in that room."

"Yeah…" Ben sighed as he turned around and hung his head, "I just wish she could have said goodbye first."

Sam stood back up straight and looked over to Jack, who floated excitedly into her arms. She scratched him behind the ears and whispered, "Thanks for showing us that, Jack."

He happily barked in response and nuzzled into her hand, before giving her cheek a quick lick and floating off to be by Riku, who was slowly walking ahead.

"Hey," Riku called back to the others. "I think we finally reached the end of this hallway and there's another staircase."

"Splendid," Bedivere straightened his coat as he walked on to meet Riku.

They had reached another foyer with a tall spiral staircase leading up a spire. Sludge dripped from the ceiling and the spire's walls, falling down to them on the floor. Riku stepped out of the way of a sizable drop and looked at it distastefully.

"There's definitely something up there," Riku looked back up at the staircase. "Might be the throne room."

"Well, one way to find out for certain," Bedivere glanced over at Riku with a bit of a smirk.

"Guess we're going up," Sam sighed.


	38. Out of the Darkness

Chapter 38

***Recap: Upon arriving in Prydain to retrieve Hen Wen, Riku and Sam find out that the Horned King has returned as a powerful Heartless. Rounding together Mordred, Bedivere, and Taran, they set out to the Horned King's new fortress to take him down. As they got closer, they realized there was a powerful blizzard swirling and protecting the castle in the center, believing it to be caused by a powerful enchanted relic hidden inside.

Inside, they find a room of chained up Gwythaints and a nest of eggs in the center. Risking her life, Sam frees two of the three creatures with Eirian's aid and Eirian takes care of the remaining eggs. After leaving the room, the group finds a spiral staircase leading to the top of the highest spire in the fortress. The group hopes to find the throne room up at the top and ascend the stairs.***

Riku looked up the seemingly endless staircase as he led the way for the rest of the group. His legs dragged underneath him and his breaths were becoming heavy. Even with his stamina, he was reaching his limits.

"How much longer?" Taran complained behind him. "Are we even sure the Horned King is up here?"

"Stop your bellyaching!" Mordred growled, glaring over his shoulder at Taran.

"Indeed," Bedivere sighed lightly. "Complaining will not make us reach our destination any faster."

Taran only frowned in response, glancing down the side of the rickety railing of the steps to see how far they had already climbed. The stone floor seemed hundreds of feet down, making him gulp at the thought of how easily a misplaced step would lead to his doom. He glanced beside him to Sam, walking silently beside him with a far off look in her eyes.

"That was a good thing you did," Taran spoke up softly, lightly nudging Sam with his arm to get her attention. "Freeing those creatures."

Sam blinked as she met his gaze and let out a faint smile. "Thanks," she whispered in response.

"And really brave too," Taran added before shaking his head. "Braver than anything I've ever done."

"You helped your friends escape the Horned King's castle last time you were here," Sam pointed out, with an almost distracted voice.

Taran scoffed. "Not really, that was mostly Hinata's doing. Without her, I don't know if we would have made it out…"

His voice trailed off as he averted his gaze from Sam's with a frown on his face. Sam glanced at him, but didn't say anything as they continued their climb. After a couple minutes, Taran spoke up again with a hushed voice.

"Maybe it would have been better if I didn't come along with you," he shook his head softly. "I can barely fight and I keep getting in the way…" With a long breath, he looked up and swung his arms at his sides with exasperation. "I'm not worthy to be here fighting for Hen Wen-I'm not even worthy to be with the Princess. She can protect herself better than anything I can do..."

Sam bit the inside of her cheek and closed her eyes, hiding the fact that she was rolling them. "You don't have to be good at fighting to be a worthy person." She eventually spoke up after a moment of tense silence. "You're probably good at a lot of other things. I bet that's what Eilonwy likes, not whether or not you can fight well." When Taran didn't reply, she explained, "Like… my brother, James. He doesn't know the first thing about fighting, but he's still a great guy-"

"That's debateable," Riku interrupted snidely, glancing over his shoulder to send Sam a smirk.

Sending him a look in return, Sam continued, "He is a great guy that's smart, dedicated, and really creative in ways I'll never be. So, don't worry about it."

"Why are we even talking about this?" Mordred grumbled.

"Last I checked, you weren't part of the conversation," Taran remarked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, but I'm right in the middle of it and it's making my ears bleed," Mordred snipped back, pushing forward to get ahead of Riku. "This is ridiculous. How long is this damn thing?"

"It does indeed seem to be going on endlessly…" Bedivere agreed, looking upwards at the still spiraling steps. "But I believe we may be reaching it's end soon."

"Yeah, I was thinking that, too," Riku nodded, allowing Mordred to pass him. "The castle didn't seem that tall when we were looking at it outside, but we've been climbing well over a half-hour."

"Perhaps the longevity of this staircase is an illusion of sorts," Bedivere suggested, while readjusting his left arm hidden in his coat. "A spell of sorts, or an enchanted relic, to make these steps longer than they should be in an attempt to tire us out."

"I've never heard of a spell that could do something like this," Riku stopped walking, causing the rest of the group to stop with him. "Maybe some sort of relic… Do you know of any that could do this?"

Placing his hand to his chin, Bedivere narrowed his eyes deep in thought. After about a minute, he met his gaze back with Riku's. "In fact, I do. It's called the Infinity Cloak."

"Cloak?" Ben repeated thoughtfully. "Like some sort of coat?"

Bedivere shook his head, "I'm not sure what it looks like, but I distinctly remember reading about the Infinity Cloak many years ago. It creates illusions of endless halls, fields, or whatever it has enchanted, cloaking entire rooms to keep itself hidden."

"How the blazes are we supposed to find it then?" Mordred flung his arms into the air.

Bedivere looked around, "Even with the cloaking, whatever it is hiding still exists."

"We just can't see it," Riku finished, looking around as well until he paused. "Wait… over here." He waited until Bedivere was beside him and pointed forward. "There's something shimmering in front of the wall."

"Hmm…" Bedivere hummed in response as he swayed slightly side to side, seeing the translucent shimmer Riku was referring to. "A crack in the illusion." He turned towards Jack, who was floating happily around them. "Jack," Bedivere called out, getting the dog's attention "do you think you could fly towards it?"

Jack looked over at the shimmering crack Bedivere was referring to and wagged his tail, before nodding and floating forward. As he neared the crack, he disappeared through an invisible wall, making the rest of the group gasp.

"As I thought," Bedivere smirked a bit smugly to himself. "I do wonder how the Horned King managed to get his hands on so many relics."

"No doubt from his Heartless minions," Sam sighed.

Jack came back out, barking happily and darting around them.

"What's he saying, Ben?" Riku asked, watching Jack dart around.

Ben stepped forward, listening intently, before interpreting. "He says there's a room full of all sorts of treasure and stuff we need to see."

"You had me at treasure!" Mordred chuckled, grabbing a hold of the railing. "How do we get over there?"

"By removing the Infinity Cloak, I believe" Bedivere suggested, "Was there anything like that in the room, Jack?"

Jack slightly whimpered and disappeared back into the invisible wall. He came back out in a few minutes, holding a long dark-green cloak in his mouth. Bedivere held out his hand and took it from Jack's mouth, a smirk teasing the corners of his mouth. An intricate gold pattern lined the thick fabric, depicting words written in an unfamiliar language. With a swing, Bedivere placed the cloak around his shoulders, skillfully tying with his right hand, the golden thread laced in the front to keep it in place. The gold lettering along the edge of the cloak began to glow as he worked with the thread and the walls around them began warble and blur together.

"W-what's going on?" Taran stammered, grabbing onto Sam's arm.

The dark surroundings of the castle transformed into a warm, fire-lit brick room. Gold and gems of all colors were piled along the edges of the room, sparkling from the bright torches along the walls. The overwhelming stench of darkness had greatly diminished, allowing all of them to take in a breath of fresh air as they examined their new surroundings. Random relics and artifacts were on display in glass cases and Bedivere quickly walked up to them, muttering to himself about what each of them were and marveling that the Horned King had them in his possession. Mordred let out a hearty laugh as he rushed over to the piles of treasure and began stuffing his pockets and bags to the brim with coins.

Sam stepped forward, leaving Taran standing in dumbstruck awe behind her, and glanced over at Riku, "Not a throne room, but-"

"We can take a short rest here, at least," Riku finished for her, walking forward to examine the rest of the room, with Jack floating by his side.

The entire area was vast in size with large piles of treasure blocking other areas of the room. Riku walked past a pile of gold that reached to the ceiling, stopping short at what he saw on the other side.

"Guys!" he called out behind him to the others. "I think I found the source of that blizzard!"

He heard the hurried footsteps of Sam and Bedivere, but didn't tear his eyes away from what he had found. A large metal stand stood right in front of them with buttons and lights that were years ahead of Prydain's current technology. It was rectangular in size, emanating a bright blue glow that led up to a relatively small relic suspended in the air. The relic appeared to be made of ice with several facets that reflected the blue light from the machine. It slowly spun in place, with a frosty mist around it and a single beam of icy energy shooting out the top of it and through the ceiling.

"I've never seen anything like it," Bedivere breathed in pure awe as he slowly walked towards the contraption. He knelt down by the machine. "What sort of creation is this?"

"It looks like a power source." Sam explained as she also walked forward and examined the machine. "If I were to guess, it's providing extra power to that little ice relic thing, probably making it more powerful to create that blizzard outside."

"How did the Horned King get this sort of technology?" Riku asked, shaking his head. "This sort of thing shouldn't be in Prydain for a few centuries."

"Heartless, maybe?" Sam shrugged. "We see those little bastards all over. Maybe they snatched one from another world and brought it here."

"Another what-now?" Mordred asked, walking over and joining the conversation, the gold in his pockets jingling with every step.

"Nothing," Riku waved him off without looking away from Sam. "It's possible, but Heartless aren't that smart. The Horned King would have had to know about this sort of technology already to know to order the Heartless to get it."

"Maybe turning into a Heartless himself taught him some things," Sam spread out her arms at her side "or maybe he isn't working alone."

Riku crossed his arms and frowned in response, not saying anything as Sam drew her attention back to the machine. She looked up at the relic, examining every angle of it as she brought up her hand and measured its size between her fingers. A glint appeared in her bright eyes as she held up her mechanical arm and looked at the empty space she had available in between two thick metal pieces that made up her forearm.

"What's going on in your head?" Riku asked with a sigh.

Sam darted her eyes up to him with a smirk. "I think I might be able to install this relic into my arm. The Atlantean crystal is already its own power source and has already proven to be a great adhesive. It keeps this entire arm together-the metal I used wasn't gearing together right when I was making it, but then I used the crystal and-"

"Sam," Riku put out his hand to stop her before rubbing the bridge of his nose, "what would installing that relic into your arm do?"

"If I'm right," she smiled proudly and crossed her arms, "I'll not only be able to shoot out electricity and energy, but ice, too."

Riku shortly nodded and looked over to Bedivere, "Would you guys mind if we took this relic?"

"By all means, it's yours," Bedivere held out his hand, standing back up after having his fill of the machine. "I would be rather interested to see it installed."

"Get working on it then," Riku motioned at Sam. "How long will you need?"

"Just a few minutes," she replied with a distracted voice, already working on rearranging wires in her arm. Under her breath, she muttered to herself, "If I move these potion vials over here… then reroute the electricity current here…"

"You certainly are very knowledgeable about these things," Bedivere commented quietly, as he watched her work over her shoulder. "Quite remarkable, really."

"Thanks," she whispered, barely paying attention to his words as she worked.

Riku turned away from them to check on the rest of the group. Mordred was back at the piles of gold, sorting through a set of gems as Ben asked him a seemingly endless amount of questions. Jack floated by Taran, keeping him company as he silently looked around the room with his hands tightly clasped together.

Letting out a breath, Riku walked towards him, "Hey, you doing alright? I was worried this would be too much for you."

Taran darted his eyes up to Riku before averting his gaze, "I'm fine…" he answered shortly.

Riku waited for him to say more, but when he didn't, he shook his head and turned to walk away.

"Riku-" Taran weakly spoke up, making Riku pause. "Thank you… for earlier."

"For what?" Riku turned around.

"Before we got in the castle, you saved my life from a couple of those monsters." Taran side glanced at him shortly. "If it weren't for you… I wouldn't be here. So, thanks."

"Don't mention it," Riku slightly waved it off as he turned to check in on Sam's progress.

Sam glanced up when she saw Riku approaching. "I'm almost done. All I need to do now is put the relic in; the crystal will do the rest."

"Good, we need to get moving again." Riku nodded as he looked around, "But I'm not sure how exactly we're supposed to leave this room..."

"We'll figure it out," Sam assured him as she walked up to the ice relic and grabbed it slowly from its suspension, before placing it carefully in her arm. The moment it was in place, the light of the crystal traveled to the relic, making it shine bright before it flashed away and the relic was stuck in place. "Perfect," Sam smirked smugly.

The excitement was short lived as the once blue glow of the machine suddenly dimmed into a dark red. Sam and Bedivere backed up from it warily until Taran yelped out in fright.

"Something's wrong!" Taran exclaimed, running to be with the others, with Ben and Jack in tow.

Riku spun around to see dark sludge seeping in through the cracks in the bricks around them. Mordred backed up, staring at the darkness slowly dripping towards them.

"What did you do?!" Morded yelled, keeping back from the sludge.

"N-nothing!" Sam assured them. "I just took the relic-"

"Put it back!" Taran interrupted in panic, bumping into Riku as the sludge began pooling on the ground, about to touch their feet.

"I can't!" Sam jumped back, joining the group back to back as they realized they were cornered.

The once brightly lit torches were extinguished as the darkness completely covered the walls and the ceiling, making it difficult to see anything around them except by the light from Sam's arm. A deep rumble shook the entire room about, and one by one the bricks along the floor crumbled away, allowing the light from outside to shine through as darkness dripped out. They could see the castle floor hundreds of feet below them, the halls they had traversed to get there were barely visible from their height. The spiral staircase that had led them up was shattered, breaking apart to take away any hope of using it back down to safety.

The group huddled together, each of them slightly panicking in their own way, except for Riku. He darted his eyes around the room, backing up as the crumbling floor reached their feet. Sam let out a scream as the bricks right under her feet gave way, only being caught by Mordred and pulled back before she could fall to the castle below.

"What are we going to do?!" Sam frantically held onto Mordred for dear life.

Riku shook his head and held out his hand, summoning a Dark Corridor right in front of them. "Everyone in!" he barked, pushing Taran in when he hesitated.

Taran yelped and fell face first inside the Corridor, scrambling to his feet to see he was safe and sound with the rest of the group. Riku came in last, shutting the way closed behind him before falling forward to his hands and knees, his breaths heavy.

"Riku-" Sam rushed over to him.

"J-Just go…" Riku shook his head, waving her away as he pushed himself to his feet. "Everyone run to the other side!"

"What was that?" Taran asked as met his pace with Riku's and Sam's, his voice still quivering with fear.

"Some sort of trap," Sam explained as she drew her gaze to the relic in her arm. "The Horned King must have been expecting us to take this."

"Why did you take it then?!" Mordred yelled back.

"We would have had to take the relic from its spot in order to stop the storm," Bedivere reminded him. "Lady Sam was merely making good use of it."

Sam looked over to Riku, who was still recovering his breath. "Where should we be expecting to come out?"

Riku shook his head, "The only place that came to mind was the catacombs…" He took a few breaths before adding, "The connection was made, so they can't be completely collapsed."

Slowing to a momentary stop, Riku reached into a satchel at his side and pulled out a handful of potion vials. He flicked off the lids of each one and drank them all at once, feeling a powerful rush of adrenaline kick into him. He took a deep breath as he placed the now empty vials back, acclimating to his new found energy.

"Do you need more?" Sam asked, holding up her mechanical arm. "I have a few stashed potions, too."

Riku waved her off. "I'm fine."

"That was amazing!" Ben ran towards Riku with Jack in tow. "You saved all of our lives, Riku!"

Riku smiled slightly. "Thanks, Ben." He chuckled when Jack nuzzled into his cheek. "You, too, Bud."

"We're nearly at the end of the Corridor!" Bedivere called back, making the others speed up their pace.

Walking out of the portal, they found themselves in a massive cave with torches lining the walls. The floor was surprisingly even and the ceiling hundreds of feet above their heads. Heartless of all types wandered through the large cavern, paying little mind to the new group that had just appeared.

"These are the catacombs?" Sam asked, walking forward as she looked around.

"A bit different than I remember," Riku commented as he spun around with a sniff. "Something dark is down here."

"No shit, there's dark stuff all over this hellhole," Mordred gruffly remarked.

"No, I mean something really dark," Riku waved him off, walking away. "I can sense it."

The group followed silently, as to not disturb Riku's sense as he led the way. The Heartless continued to ignore them as they walked past, almost as if they didn't know the group existed at all. Riku stopped at the edge of a large hole. It appeared to be dug out, with stone-carved steps leading downwards. In the center of the pit, Riku could barely make out a familiar shape-the Black Cauldron.

"No way…" he muttered, turning around to the others. "Is that what I think it is?"

Taran walked up beside him before quickly scrambling back while shaking his head frantically, "T-The Black Cauldron!? B-But I thought it was destroyed?"

Riku looked back to the Cauldron and summoned a Dark Firaga in his palm before flinging it towards the pit. The flames spread out as it hit the metal of the Cauldron, lighting up the area momentarily before fizzing away. The light revealed the Cauldron to be severely cracked and scuffed. The handles were broken off and the top barely held together, yet thick black mist was pouring out of it.

"I think we figured out why the Horned King is so powerful this time around…" Riku sighed. "The Cauldron was destroyed… mostly. But enough of it seems to be left to just be leaking darkness."

"Which, I'm guessing, the King is just soaking in," Sam surmised, glancing down at the Cauldron herself.

Riku nodded, "Yeah, that's-"

"Well, well," a deep raspy voice interrupted Riku, making everyone freeze. "it seems you managed to escape my trap and find my Cauldron."

They each turned towards the voice to see the Horned King, surrounded with a black mist, floating towards them. His red glowing eyes looked over each of them with a wicked smile plastered across his sunken face. Sam's eyes widened at the sight of him, feeling Taran's shaking hand grabbing her arm from behind.

"I was wondering who would be clever enough to sneak into my fortress," the Horned King's eyes stopped on Riku, Bedivere, and Mordred. "I should have expected it would be my own men turned against me."

Riku scoffed as he summoned Soul Eater. "Hate to break to you, but I was never on your side."

"Yet, I see you still carry the blade of darkness with you," the Horned King pointed out with a deep chuckle.

"Where's Hen Wen!?" Taran demanded, his voice cracking and his hands tightening around Sam's arm.

The Horned King let out another laugh, much louder. "That oracular pig, dear boy, has been beyond useful. Showing me things I never would have dreamed of!"

"That explains the machine…" Sam muttered to Riku, holding out her mechanical arm and powering it up.

"Enough talk!" Mordred growled, bringing out his claymore. "I've been dying to stick my blade in your gut!"

"Oh, Mordred," the Horned King shook his head, "I always did admire your lust for blood. However, I have something much better in mind for all of you."

"What do you mean?" Riku demanded with a glare.

With a loud menacing laugh, the Horned King disappeared in a cloud of smoke and instantly the ground beneath them rumbled, causing Taran to stumble to the floor.

"Well that was a huge waste of time!" Mordred grumbled. "What did he mean, something better?"

"I have a feeling we're about to find out," Sam replied as she helped Taran to his feet.

"U-uh, g-guys?" Ben stammered unusually. "You might want to see this."

"What the hell?" Sam's mouth fell agape as she turned around to follow Ben's gaze.

On the other end of the cavern there was a massive, boar-like creature. It stood on four hoofed feet, with black skin that was torn along its sides, dripping the same dark sludge they had been seeing over the entire fortress. Two sharp curved horns protruded from its snouted face, glowering at them with bright, glowing, yellow eyes. It grunted at the group, pawing at the ground, signaling its build-up to charge.

"What is that thing?!" Taran exclaimed with a trembling voice.

"Some sort of Heartless," Riku told him, not breaking his gaze with the beast. "Everyone get ready! Ben, stay back with Taran-we'll take care of this!"

The group scattered as the beast plowed past them, Sam and Riku both whipping around and blasting it with lightning and fire as it passed. Sam's electricity crackled harmlessly across its hide, but Riku's fire seemed to momentarily scorch away a bit of the dark sludge.

"I think your fire did the job better than my lightning!" Sam pointed out.

"Yeah, I saw," Riku called back.

The monstrosity turned around and roared, its eyes shining intensely as it did so. From the shadows around the room, dozens of pairs of tiny eyes began to glow.

"R-riku!" Taran shouted, "They're all over the place!"

"Ahaha, finally something to do!" Mordred cackled before running off towards the nearest group with his sword held high.

"Bedivere," Riku called back without breaking his gaze from the beast, "can you keep an eye on Taran and help keep these Heartless off our backs while Sam and I deal with this thing?"

Just as the beast roared and charged again, Bedivere quickly grabbed Taran to pull him out of the way, answering back, "It shall be done!"

Sam turned back towards the large creature as Riku shot another fireball at it. Before the fire had even halfway reach its target, however, a small shadow Heartless lept out from the dark and took the hit before it could reach the creature.

"Okay... Lucky beast; not so lucky for that little guy," Sam checked off with a sigh, standing right beside Riku.

Riku shot off another fireball, which was again intercepted by a Heartless in the same manner.

"This isn't a coincidence," he mused to Sam.

"You think they're taking the hits on purpose?" she asked.

"Yeah, let's try overwhelming it. Shoot as much lightning as you can," Riku ordered, sparking another flame in his palm.

Each raising their arm, the pair began their rapid elemental barrage, yet somehow, a Heartless managed to intercept each and every shot, not a single shot striking true.

"What the hell…?" Sam growled in disbelief.

The beast roared again, digging its feet deep into the ground and flinging a large chunk of rock at them. The two dodged around it, then turned to watch it roll through an ever-growing swarm of Heartless behind them.

Mordred and Bedivere were nearly back-to-back now, fighting off the Heartless and making sure to strike any that seemed to be heading towards Riku and Sam, but it was clear they were beginning to be overwhelmed.

Mordred leapt over to smash one such adventurous Heartless, but, after destroying it, he was knocked down by a Large Body. He rolled onto his back and tried to regain his feet as the Large Body prepared to jump on him. However, right when it seemed it would spring into a jump, it instead stood still, trembling as it uselessly tried to move. Wasting no time, Mordred swung his arm, quickly bisecting the monster and grinning as he saw Jack appearing out of the plume of smoke.

"Heh, you do that?" he asked with a smirk. Jack barked in response and flew away, paralyzing another large Heartless nearby. "This almost takes the fun out of it." Mordred laughed with humored malice as he rushed over, destroying the beast in a flurry of slashes. "Hahaha, but only almost!"

The massive boar Heartless roared again, its eyes shining intently and illuminating the room. Bedivere took a moment to look at it, then following the beams of light to their ends at the ceiling. Very faintly, he could see what appeared to be images of the room projected in the bright light.

"Riku!" Bedivere called out. "I believe there are images of some sort being cast onto the ceiling! They may hold the key to defeating this beast, but I cannot distinguish them from here!"

"It's a little high for me, too!" Riku called back, growling as another barrage of fireballs was again rendered useless by Heartless-interception.

Ben, who'd been careful to stay near Bedivere this whole time, tugged at the corner of his tunic. "If you guys can get me closer to those images, I don't need a lot of time to see them! I can remember everything I see perfectly, even if I don't see it for long!"

Mordred, who'd ventured near enough to hear him, asked "Hey, metal guy, how's your grip?"

Ben perked up. "Exceptional! Why, Captain Flint used to always compliment me on my grip! Well, not in so many words, but I could tell tha-"

Cutting him off, Mordred grabbed Ben up off the ground and spun around a few times before letting go, throwing him high into the air. Ben yelled as he flew, and he found himself landing with a thud on top of the large beast's head, the dark sludge cushioning his fall.

Ben stood up quickly, alternating between trying to wipe the sludge off and grabbing onto the horns to prevent himself from being flung away from the flailing monster.

Mordred smashed another Heartless, then called up. "That close enough for you?"

Ben yelled unintelligibly, clinging more tightly onto the horn.

"Hey!" Riku yelled, rolling out of the way of an attack before sending a glare to Mordred. "It's hard enough trying to fight this thing without having to worry about hitting Ben!"

Mordred laughed again as yet another wave of Riku and Sam's attacks were blocked entirely. "I really don't think you gotta worry about that, kid!"

With a deep rumble, the beast reared back once again and roared, eyes shining brightly. Ben perked up immediately, staring intently at the images above before shouting out in surprise. "Guys, that's us! There's pictures of us, here, now, fighting this thing!"

"Well that's interesting and all," Sam sent out another strike of energy towards the beast as she replied, "but how is that supposed to help us?"

The beast regained itself, flinging another piece of earth at the group. A part of the rock fragmented away, hitting Sam's metal arm as she prepared an electric attack and knocked her to the ground. As she hit the ground, her lighting blast arced through the air, connecting with Mordred's sword like a lightning rod, sending him into convulsions before knocking him off his feet.

"Dammit, woman!" he yelled out as he quickly stood back up, trying to smother out a small fire on his coat. "Watch where you aim that thing!"

Sam stood up sheepishly and called out an apology, but quickly turned her attention to Ben, who was yelling.

"Guys, guys! That was in the pictures! Sam hitting Mordred with lightning!" he called out in excitement.

Sam and Riku looked at each other, and Sam spoke up. "You think… this Heartless can see the future somehow? And that's how it can block everything?"

Riku groaned. "That's just what we need," he bit sarcastically.

"I hear ya, but," she put her arms out at her sides, "what do we do about it?"

Bedivere's voice called out. "I suggest we regroup!"

The ensemble quickly made their way back towards each other-aside from Ben who was still clinging onto the beast's horn for dear life-and took cover behind a large piece of debris that had fallen from the ceiling.

Bedivere spoke up first. "If this beast is indeed clairvoyant, we need to either hit it with an attack that cannot be blocked or find some way to trick it."

Mordred scoffed. "You brought me over here for this? Tricky's not really my thing."

Bedivere smirked. "Yes, how thoughtless of me."

"It's blocked everything Riku and I have tried, so we should probably think of a way to fool it somehow," Sam noted, as the beast roared and paced around.

Mordred, entirely disinterested in the conversation at hand, scoffed. "You guys have fun with that one; I'm going to go keep that thing busy," he ran back out into the fray as they continued discussing.

"Bedivere," Riku said, "you took whatever that artifact was that made that staircase seem so long, right?"

"Indeed I did, and I, too, have been wondering if we could put it to use in this situation. I believe I can read enough of the runes on the sleeve to cast its charm, should we find a useful application." Bedivere held out the cloak with his arm.

"How's that thing work, anyways?" Sam asked, running the fabric between her fingers as she looked at the runes.

"I believe you choose a specific object to enchant, and once that is done the spell creates an illusion that spreads out for as far as can be seen," Bedivere explained.

"Do you think it'd be possible to do that to one of Riku's fireballs?" Sam inquired curiously.

Riku face lit up with intrigue. "That's not a bad idea, actually. It would make it seem like there's a lot more fire than there really is, maybe even enough that it can't block them all."

Bedivere shook his head. "I believe it may be even more than you imagine, the illusion could very well make it seem as though we are in an enormous sea of fire. I recommend that you be sure your aim is true before the illusion is cast, just to be safe."

"Alright," Riku agreed, glancing around. "Let's see if we can get on top of this boulder; I should have the clearest shot from up there."

Riku and Bedivere climbed up onto the top of the debris, and took a moment to make sure their footing was solid. Bedivere reviewed the runes on the cloak once more, and then held out his right hand. "I believe I am ready, Riku."

Riku nodded and held out his own hand, taking a deep breath as he lined up his shot carefully. Sparks and flames shot out and slowly rolled into a ball, Riku doing everything he could to slow down the process to give Bedivere the time he needed. A glowing aura surrounded Bedivere's outstretched hand, and suddenly Riku's fireball began to seem as though it was exploding outwards, swirling around the room in the blink of an eye.

The fiery illusion shone as bright as the sun, the very air itself appearing to turn into flames. Riku released the fireball and shut his eyes tightly, but the room was so bright it seemed to make no difference. The Heartless screeched in horror, the boar's screams shaking the room violently from the tremendous bass, and, from across the room, Mordred could be heard exclaiming things that would make even the most foul-mouthed sailor take a moment to sit down and reconsider what sort of things are appropriate to say.

The moment the fire hit its mark, the sea of flames fizzed out of existence. As Riku's sight and hearing returned and he was again able to make sense of his surroundings, he saw that his aim had been true and a large portion of the protective dark goo had been melted clean off the boar's head, but underneath the monstrous exterior was a rather normal, if still extraordinarily large, pig's head.

Sam stumbled over to Riku. "Is it just me, or is that a regular pig in there?"

The pig, too, was beginning to regain its senses now as the dark goo again began to creep back across the exposed surface, and began squealing in dismay.

Taran's voiced broke out, shouting. "It's Hen Wen! What has the Horned King done to her?!"

Sam and Riku turned back towards the pig, Sam speaking up first. "Do you think he's right?"

Riku grimaced as he watched poor Hen Wen slowly becoming enveloped in the darkness once again. "I think it is. That Darkness must be overwhelming and controlling her somehow. I don't know what we're supposed to do now though; if we keep shooting fire at her she's going to get killed."

Taran by now had made his way to them. "No, you can't kill her, please! You must save her!"

"I know, but we're running out of options," Riku spoke as he turned towards Taran.

"Jack!" Sam called out, the ghost pup quickly making his way over. "Can you go help talk to Hen Wen, see if you can get her to fight off the darkness?"

Jack licked her cheek and quickly flew over to Hen Wen, ghosting inside of the trembling pig.

Taran ran towards Hen Wen as well, ignoring the shouts of warning from Riku and Sam, and fell to his knees near her hoof. "Oh Hen Wen, please fight this!"

Hen Wen's ears seemed to perk up a bit, and her body shuddered, flecks of darkness falling away. The dark goo started to speed up a bit, trying desperately to finish enveloping her.

"Riku!" Bedivere shouted. "We must find a way to keep that darkness from covering her entirely!"

Riku looked at Hen Wen again, then at Taran, then back at Bedivere. "I can't! My fire will burn her for sure!"

Suddenly, Ben's head peeked down from the top of Hen Wen's snout. "How about a bit of steam?" he suggested. "I'm just full of it, and I can make some to spare!"

"Just make sure you aim it at the goo!" Sam shouted back.

Ben jumped over towards the encroaching darkness and turned around, opening a small safety valve on his back, hot steam spraying out and repelling the goo.

Riku, Sam, and Bedivere could do nothing but watch as Taran pleaded and Ben worked to keep the sludge from returning. Moments later Hen Wen let out a one last yell, falling over onto the ground as everyone looked, stunned. Darkness swirled around her, and a ghostly apparition rose up from her body as the dark sludge turned into a hard shell and shattered away.

The ghost looked like a skeleton in a dark, red cloak that covered all but his face and hands, the bottom of it flickering into nothingness like upside-down flames. Four huge, bony horns protruded through the top of the cloak's hood. Riku quickly summoned his blade and took his fighting stance, causing Sam to do the same.

"It's the Horned King," Riku told her.

The ghostly king said nothing, floating up into the air and holding his arms out to his sides. Electricity crackled around his fingertips, and Sam quickly took initiative, leaping in front of the group and activating the shield on her arm. She was not a moment too late, as the Ghost King's lightning shot off with a clap of thunder, arcing right into the center of Sam's shield where it dissipated with a crackle, the illuminating strips on her arm growing brighter as it absorbed the energy.

Sam quickly shot her hand forward, returning the lightning back towards the spectre, who simply phased away and vanished. The group stood back to back in a circle, looking around for him as his eerie laugh echoed off the walls.

"Sam, here!" Bedivere alerted, with Sam quickly turning and moving to intercept and return the next bolt of lightning, which was just as effortlessly avoided as the first time. As they began once again looking for his next appearance, Riku noticed Jack floating around the room, growling softly as if he tracked something.

"Hey Sam, I think Jack can see him!" Riku called out to her.

Sam turned towards Jack, and sure enough the ghostly Horned King appeared again just a few feet away, once again bringing a blast of lightning with him.

Sam once again intercepted and absorbed the blast, holding it back this time instead of returning fire immediately. "He's going to regret the next shot," Sam said confidently, building up a charge in anticipation while she carefully tracked Jack's movements.

The Horned King's ghost appeared once again, this time quickly receiving a massive electrical blast from Sam. He let out an unearthly shriek, writhing as his form started to crackle and dissipate until there was nothing left but silence.

The group waited a few moments, but all was still.

"Is that it?" Taran asked with a shaking voice. "Is he gone now?"

"It would appear so," Bedivere said tentatively. "But it could very well be another one of his tricks. We should continue to stay on guard."

Taran ran over to Hen Wen, who was quieter now but still several times larger than she should be. "Will she ever return back to normal?" he asked to nobody in particular.

Riku walked over, his step a bit reluctant as he got close and a concerned expression grew on his face. "Hen Wen's still teeming with darkness. A lot of it," he observed, running his hands along her pink feverish back. "It's strange, it's like... it's trying to hide itself." He closed his eyes. "I don't think this darkness has a hold of her, it's like it's just… hiding."

"How do we get it out of her?" Taran asked, tears stinging the corners of his eyes.

"I might be able to draw it out," Riku muttered, already summoning the power.

He took a deep breath, and a dark purple glow surrounded his hands. Small clouds of darkness began to form around his hands and wisp away, Hen Wen wriggling a bit but not fighting back.

Ben looked at Hen Wen for a moment. "It looks like she's starting to shrink!"

"I don't even want to think about how that works," Sam shuddered, watching as Riku continued to extract the residual darkness. The clouds were coming out quicker now, falling to ground and covering it like a fog.

Mordred walked over, looking around at the ground uneasily as he drew his sword. "Yeah, I don't think I like where this is going. Feels like a trap to me."

"Yeah," Riku said over his shoulder as he continued. "I've never seen darkness act like this before."

Within minutes, Hen Wen had shrunk back down to her proper size, and Riku picked her up gently. "I think that's all of it. Taran, you and Ben go back outside and see if you can find Eirian. She'll keep you guys safe."

Taran did not hesitate, taking Hen Wen from Riku and leaving immediately, Ben tottering behind as fast as his stubby legs could carry him.

Sam, Riku, Bedivere, and Mordred looked around at the mist filling the room, and as they watched it almost seemed to pulsate as though it were breathing.

Sam looked around curiously. "Where'd Jack go?" she asked.

From up above them they heard a gentle bark in reply, and when they looked up and spotted Jack, they saw he was keeping his distance from the mist, eyeing it distrustfully.

"Yeah," Sam said, looking back down. "This stuff isn't good news."

The four of them made their way over to a boulder and climbed on top of it, out of the mist below. Riku looked at it contemplatively, then held out his hand, shooting several dark auras into the mist.

"May I ask what you're hoping to accomplish here, Riku?" Bedivere inquired.

Riku spoke softly, "DiZ has told me that sometimes darkness can grow until it's powerful enough to take a physical form. Whatever this is, it's looking for a lot of darkness, and I don't know how long it'll be until it reaches that point. Whenever it does though, it's probably going to be incredibly powerful."

Mordred looked over at Riku, bewildered, and grabbed his forearm. "Whatinthehell are you doing feeding it, then?" he demanded.

"If this thing takes form after we leave, you guys are probably going to wish we were still here," Riku replied firmly, yanking his arm back. "So, let's see if we can take care of this problem on our terms."

Mordred nodded. "Alright, you got a point there. How long will it take to finish feeding this dark whatever beast?"

Bedivere touched their shoulders, pointing towards the center of the room. "Not long, I believe."

The dark mist in the center of the room had begun to spin in circles, like a small tornado, and, slowly, they could see solid matter starting to materialize. Two bony legs began to form, growing up into a pelvis, spine, rib cage, and continuing until it had formed a full human-like skeleton. A crude, green flesh seeped out of the bones, forming a body that ripped and tore as the muscle continued to grow in size. The monster's skin began to bleed, but instead of falling to the ground, it acted more like that of a fabric, composing a loose cloak around the creature. Two massive horns shot out of the skull, and the eyes burst into flame as the creature roared, the final puffs of mist disappearing into the monstrosity as it hunched over, staring intently at Riku.

"I'm gonna go ahead and assume that's the real Horned King," Sam whispered to the others. "What was that other thing we fought then?"

"An apparition of sorts," Bedivere replied softly, his fingers wrapping around the hilt of his rapier. "He somehow concealed himself inside of Hen Wen, able to control her and the darkness around him."

"Why is he just standing there?" Mordred grumbled, about to step forward before Riku held out his arm and stopped him.

"Just wait," Riku whispered, keeping his eyes trained on the Horned King.

The group fell silent, readying their weapons as they waited for the King to make the first move. Suddenly, a low raspy laugh echoed around them, originating from the monstrous King in front of them.

He stood up straighter, keeping his fiery stare at Riku. "I had always hoped we would meet again." A chuckle erupted when he was met with confused and wary stares in response. He lifted a bony hand towards Riku and asked, "How does it feel to know you are completely responsible for my return?" Spreading out his arms at his sides, he added, "Without the darkness you used to end me, none of this would have been possible. I suppose I should be thanking you, expressing my gratitude that you have granted me the chance to once again rule over this pathetic world with more power than I have ever imagined!"

"Are we going to let him monologue us to death, or what?" Sam snidely remarked to Riku, nudging him with the back of her hand when she noticed him blankly listening to the King's words.

"Yeah, I'm with her," Mordred said, hefting his claymore in front of him. "This guy's going down."

The Horned King held his arms out to his sides, green energy crackling out from his palms and forming two enormous blades made of rough green crystal, each one nearly the same size as he was. Without another word, he leaped across the room in a single bound and smashed their boulder into smithereens as they just barely got out of the way.

The Horned King wasted no time, turning quickly and swinging one of his swords towards Riku, the crystal blade dislodging and flying towards him at high speed. Riku quickly sidestepped the attack and shot back a fireball, which the King blocked with his remaining sword while the first one grew back.

Mordred ran up behind the Horned King, striking at him with a mighty swing of his sword. The King laughed and batted Mordred's claymore out of his grasp with one of his own swords, then kicked him square in the chest. Mordred tumbled backwards, but quickly regained his footing and scrambled away towards his sword.

Sam, meanwhile, was dismayed to find that her electrical blasts were having no effect on the Horned King, crackling around his cloak harmlessly before being absorbed into his swords. Bedivere came up beside her, holding his rapier with an uncharacteristic uncertainty. Sam noticed him, and spoke up. "Alright Bedivere, what's the plan? My attacks aren't doing anything, and Riku and Mordred can't seem to get a clear shot at this guy."

Bedivere watched carefully. "Truth be told, I am not sure. His power and resilience are greater than anyone I have yet encountered. However, we must find some way to overpower and overwhelm him."

Riku, when he could stay still for long enough, began firing off as many Dark Auras as he could at the King, and after one particularly impressive salvo, Mordred dashed up behind the King unnoticed, landing a heavy blow on his back with his claymore. The sword hit an invisible field a few inches from the King's body with an incredible cracking sound, it and Mordred bouncing back. The King turned and swatted Mordred as he reeled, then turned his attention to Riku once more.

"This guy is crazy focused on Riku," Sam observed. "If we could get his attention and give Riku some breathing room we'd have a better chance."

Bedivere nodded. "The King appears to have some form of protective magic aura around him that we first must crack through. It is interesting that it stops Mordred's blade, but allows your elemental attack to pass."

"Think more lightning is the way to go, then?" Sam asked, holding up her arm.

"On the contrary," Bedivere said. "I believe, due to the darkness, his elemental resistance must be incredibly high. I believe a powerful, physical blow may be the key-if we can get past his barrier. A incredibly heavy, precise attack may be able to pierce through."

Sam looked over at Riku and Mordred. "Okay, I think I have an idea for that. We just need to keep him distracted so Mordred and I can get a clear shot."

Bedivere raised an eyebrow. "You and Mordred? Most interesting. I believe I can get Horned King's attention."

Sam looked at Bedivere with an expectant grin, and Bedivere put two fingers in his mouth and let out a loud, shrill whistle. Sam's grin changed to an open-mouthed look of disbelief and she looked towards the Horned King to see that, as expected, he had paid no attention at all.

"Uh, yeah, I think you're going to need to try something else," Sam said.

Bedivere smiled, and the room shook and rumbled. "Prepare yourself for your own part, Lady Sam. I've got this."

At this, part of the wall exploded, rocks flying into the room. A loud roar came from outside the hole, and Eirian ran in, lowering her head so Bedivere could jump onto her back.

Sam smiled at Bedivere, who yelled down to her, "It is rather difficult to ignore a Gwythaint!"

Eirian ran towards the Horned King, and at Bedivere's command smashed her tail against him. The Horned King looked up at her, and Eirian roared loudly, all her fangs proudly on display. The King threw a sword towards her and turned his attention back to Riku, but Eirian smashed the blade out of the air with a flick of her tail, swiping at the King with her claws.

The Horned King's barrier took the brunt of the attack, and he slid back a few feet in the dirt. His attention now on Eirian, he re-created his second blade and began advancing on her, swinging his swords wildly. With Bedivere's guidance, Eirian managed to dodge or deflect most of the attacks, the few hits she did receive glancing off her tough scales.

Riku took a deep breath to recenter himself, and dashed towards the Horned King. He leapt into the air and used a boost of magic to blast himself at the King, swinging his sword. The Horned King managed to block this attack, but Riku was ready for this, quickly warping himself away and boosting again, attacking the King rapidly from all around him in a series of warp strikes. Several of them made it past the King's quick defense, but all were blocked by the barrier.

Sam had meanwhile made her way over to Mordred. "Hey, we've got to break that shield and I need your help to do it."

Mordred laughed. "Glad to hear it-that damn thing was starting to make this boring. What's the plan?"

Sam let out a short chuckle, but got to the point. "We need to hit that shield as hard as we can, and I think your claymore is our best bet."

"Yeah, that was my idea, too, kid, but it's not doing anything," Mordred pointed out.

Sam nodded. "I know, that's where my plan comes in. I'm going to hit your sword with a special kind of electricity to magnetize it, then go across the room directly on the other side of the Horned King and make an electrical field with the opposite polarity. If I can get the magnetic field strong enough, we might be able to get your sword flying with enough force. The thing is, I'm going to need you to hold on to it until the magnets are strong enough, and throw it at me as hard as you can when I tell you to."

Mordred looked at her for a second, barely comprehending a word she said, though he understood what he needed to. "That's crazy, kid, and I love it!"

Sam wasted no time, putting her metal hand on Mordred's blade and blasting electricity into it until it was glowing blue. "Okay, this field is going to get pretty strong. You've got to hold on to it until it's strong enough."

"I got it, kid. Get going," Mordred said, shooing her away.

Eirian slammed the ceiling with her tail, breaking loose several large rocks which fell towards the Horned King. The Horned King swung his blades wildly through the air, crushing several of them and batting a few away. Riku seized the moment, sending a scorching wave of fireballs at him. The king laughed from inside the inferno and threw another blade towards Riku, though his aim was off by several feet. Eirian reared up high and slammed her front feet down, pinning the Horned King to the ground, then opened her mouth and released a massive plume of firebreath directly on top of him. Riku looked in awe for a second as she continued her barrage, shrugged, then sent out yet another firestorm of his own.

Eirian stepped back, proud, and watched her hellfire burn with an intense fury that seemed to be melting the very rock itself.

Another cackle broke out and the Horned King floated up out of the flames, his crystal swords glowing hot and melting. Riku, Bedivere, and even Eirian all stumbled back a bit in shock at the sight of the unharmed Horned King before them.

Suddenly, to their right, a red glow started to shine brightly. Sam stood atop one of the many boulders with her metal arm held high, magnetic energy crackling furiously around her in rolls of lightning. Mordred, on the other end of the room, braced his feet against a large slab and was straining to hold his Claymore back with both hands, his teeth gritting as he realized just how hard it was becoming to fight the magnetic pull.

"Now Mordred!" Sam shouted.

Mordred heaved forward, doing his best to throw his eager blade, and the sword streaked towards the Horned King blindingly fast.

Riku, realizing what was happening reached out his arm towards Sam and yelled.

The very next instant, the sword crashed into the Horned King, smashing through his barrier with a sound as though a meteor had hit the earth, piercing not only through the barrier but the Horned King himself, skewering him through as it continued to fly across the room towards Sam.

Before the sword could hit Sam, though, a dark portal appeared right in front of her, and both the sword and King disappeared inside as Sam shrieked in shock.

There was just a moment of silence, seemingly the longest second in the world, and then another portal opened up from the ceiling, the sword and Horned King both slamming into the ground with such speed that, when the dust cleared, all that was left was an incredibly gooey crater.

The group stood there in stunned silence, each one trying to come to terms with what just happened and how close they'd been to disaster. Mordred slowly rejoined the group to stare at the King's remains, rubbing his sore hands together and ignoring the pain from the friction burns the sword's handle had given him. He stopped short when he saw that both the King and his own Claymore were completely decimated and borderline unrecognizable.

Bedivere cleared his throat, breaking the silence, "I believe we will have to purchase you a new blade, Mordred."

Mordred suddenly let out a guffaw of laughter, "Hey, if I'm going to lose a blade, this is the way to do it." He walked over to Bedivere as they continued to talk about what had just occurred.

"It's… actually over, isn't it?" Sam whispered to Riku. She glanced over as he wordlessly nodded in response and added, "Thank you, by the way… you saved my life."

"That's three times now," Riku met her gaze with a faint smirk.

"Someone's keeping count," Sam muttered, causing Riku to let out a short laugh in return.

A deep rumble all around interrupted them, causing them to stumble as the ground began to quake. Rocks fell from the ceiling, crashing beside them. The crater, where the King's remains were gathered, bubbled and sizzled, the darkness evaporating in a mist.

"Without the Horned King controlling it, the darkness seems to be disappearing!" Bedivere called out over the commotion. He climbed onto Eirian's back, gently running his hand along her back to soothe her.

"But isn't this whole damn place made of darkness?!" Mordred exclaimed, jumping out of the way of a falling rock.

"Then I suggest we make haste and retreat!" Bedivere replied, whispering something to Eirian right before she roared and took off, with Bedivere on her back, flying out the opening she had created when she first arrived.

Riku wasted no time and held out his hand, summoning a Corridor. Without even having to say a word, Sam and Mordred escaped inside. Riku followed, closing the Corridor behind them and running to the other side. They were greeted with the warm sun and thick cold snow under their feet the moment they made it out. It was no longer snowing and the dark clouds in the sky had dispersed, showing the vibrant blue sky over the forest and the crumbling castle. Riku, Sam, and Mordred stood at the edge of the deep chasm that surrounded the castle. In front of them was a thin bridge that led to the front gates, but as the darkness melted away from the walls, the bridge began to disintegrate as well until there was nothing left. Every last remnant of the Horned King and his domain collapsed into the deep chasm beneath them.

They heard Eirian's roar above them and looked up, seeing her circling in the sky not far from where they stood. Riku motioned to the others and led the way through the edge of the forest until they reached a clearing right under where Eirian was flying. Long, dry grass poked through the snow, where they found Taran kneeling on the ground holding Hen Wen in his lap. Ben was beside him, softly running his metal hand along Hen Wen's back before looking up when Jack barked that the others were approaching.

"There you are!" Ben exclaimed, jumping up from his spot and toddling forward. "We were wondering if you guys were the reason the castle got destroyed!"

Riku glanced up at Taran, meeting his gaze before replying, "Yeah, the Horned King's gone for good this time. You won't have to worry anymore."

Taran barely broke a smile, his arms lightly tightening around Hen Wen, "Thank you…"

"How did you guys get here?" Sam asked, stepping forward and kneeling in front of Hen Wen. "Where did you guys go when Riku told you to get out of the castle?"

"We found one of those tunnels!" Ben told her excitedly. "My eyes lit the way well enough and we walked through it for a bit until we reached a part where the cave was collapsed!"

"Yeah," Taran agreed softly, continuing, "Thankfully, there was a hole in the ceiling of the cave that led up to the surface. We weren't too far underground, so we climbed out and found ourselves back in the forest."

"That's when we saw Eirian flying around with one of those eggs we found!" Ben interjected, "I called out to her and she helped us find a good safe place to wait for you guys!"

Sam smiled and stood back up straight. "I'm just thankful you guys made it out alright. It was crazy in there."

"That's an understatement," Mordred chuckled.

Eirian let out another roar as she descended and landed in the snow, softly beside the group. Bedivere climbed off of her back as Eirian disappeared into the forest with Jack in tow.

Straightening his tunic, Bedivere informed them, "It appears that destroying that King has also eradicated all of the surrounding Heartless. I haven't seen a single one for miles in any direction."

"And it finally stopped snowing," Taran added, glancing up at the sun peeking through the treetops. "I can't remember that last time I saw the sun."

"Then I would say that we have completed the mission we set out to do," Bedivere smiled warmly. "It is difficult to believe we succeeded within a day's time."

"Yeah," Riku agreed with a short laugh. "I can barely believe it either." He looked towards the empty chasm where the King's domain once stood, feeling a wave of relief rushing over him.

"Not to ruin the moment, but when am I getting paid?" Mordred interrupted, losing interest in sitting around.

Sam scoffed, "That's really all you care about, huh?"

"What happened to all that gold you grabbed in the castle?" Taran asked.

"Bah, lost most of it during the fight," Mordred grumbled, flinging his hands towards him.

Riku shook his head with a smile and looked over, "Hey Ben, with the darkness gone, you think you can get back to the ship?"

Ben jumped up, his eyes bright with excitement. "Sure thing! I'll give it a go at least!"

"You sure it's alright for all of them to see?" Sam whispered to Riku, cupping one of her hands on the side of her mouth.

"After what we've seen today?" Mordred scoffed, answering for Riku. "I won't question anything ever again."

"I'll just grab the black chest below deck!" Ben told everyone, looking up at Riku for approval. When Riku nodded, he pushed in on his chest compartment, making it go in before flipping around to show the miniature control board. With a single press of the large button, he was gone in a flash of light.

Taran gasped at the sight, yet everyone else barely blinked at his disappearance. With a slight shake of his head, Taran looked back down at Hen Wen in his arms. She had regained consciousness, but was sleeping soundly against him. He softly smiled at her before asking, "What's going to happen now?"

"After I get paid, I'm out of here," Mordred gruffly replied.

"I'll be taking you and Hen Wen back to your farm," Riku informed Taran, crossing his arms. "Then, if Hen Wen's up for it, Sam and I have a couple visions we really need to see."

"With everything you've done today, you've earned it," Taran replied quietly, not meeting his gaze up with Riku's, despite feeling his eyes on him.

Riku smiled to himself from Taran's words and looked over to Bedivere, who was silently and patiently awaiting Ben's return. "What about you? What are you going to do?"

Bedivere looked up and smiled, he ran his hand along the Infinity Cloak around him "I believe I shall retire to the Eagle Mountains and use this cloak to create a refuge for the Gwythaints, starting with the eggs we acquired today."

"Really?" Sam turned towards him in surprise.

With a small nod, Bedivere explained, "The Gwythaints have slowly become an endangered species in Prydain. They are often hunted for mere sport or confined such as we saw in the Horned King's domain. I, myself, was a Gwythaint hunter before I acquired Eirian and would like to make things right."

"That's… really great, actually," Sam smiled.

"Are you planning on training all of them, or what?" Mordred asked.

"Perhaps," Bedivere smirked at the thought, "but I will also use the refuge as a way to further my studies in peace."

A bright beam of light interrupted them as Ben reappeared in the group holding golden handles to a black wooden treasure chest. Ben wobbled back and forth, barely able to hold the chest that was more than half the size of him.

"Alright!" Mordred quickly went forward and grabbed the chest from Ben, his dark eyes beaming when he opened the lid and was met with glittering gold and gems.

"Is that enough for you?" Sam asked, smugly crossing her arms. "Should be worth about double what you wanted."

"More like triple!" Mordred replied with a rare childlike delight before looking back up and clearing his throat. Closing the chest and placing it under his arm, he looked between Riku and Sam. Averting his gaze he took a deep breath, "I'm not good with this sort of stuff, but… thanks." Darting his eyes towards Sam, he then focused his gaze on Riku and held out his free hand. Riku looked towards it a bit confused, but slowly placed his hand in his. Mordred gripped it tightly and shook it. "I'll see you around, kid."

Riku smirked and gripped his hand back. "Yeah, see you around. Thanks for the help."

Mordred scoffed with a chuckle at the end as he released Riku's hand and motioned towards the chest, "Don't mention it!"

"We best take our leave then," Bedivere stepped forward and placed his right arm over his chest, slightly bowing. "It was lovely to make your acquaintance, Lady Sam. You are a remarkable young woman."

"Oh, uh, thank you," Sam quickly replied, pushing a few strands of hair behind her ear as she flushed from embarrassment. "It was great meeting you, too."

Riku reached into his tunic, pulling out the green summoning charm as Bedivere stood back up straight. "I should probably give this back-"

"Actually, I would very much like you to keep it," Bedivere put his hand up, cutting him off. He smiled at Riku's surprised look. "You never know when an occasion will arise for you to use it."

"Thank you," Riku told him honestly, as he let go of the charm. "I...hope things go well for you."

"And the same for you," Bedivere placed his hand on Riku's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Riku. And please give Lady Hinata my best wishes."

Riku's smile grew as he nodded, "I will."

Bedivere squeezed his shoulder lightly before releasing it and walking back to be beside Mordred. Taran abruptly stood up, waking Hen Wen from her slumber.

"T-thank you guys, both of you," Taran stammered. "I was really wrong about you…"

"Don't mention it, Pipsqueak." Mordred assured him, his gruff voice calmer than usual. "Just stay out of trouble."

Taran moved his gaze to Mordred and quickly nodded, "I-I will, thank you. You, too."

"I'll send you guys back then," Riku grabbed the green summoning charm.

"Just allow me to call back Eirian," Bedivere nodded, about to whistle for her before she let out a roar and flew over to them, carrying an egg in her claws.

She softly landed in the snow, making sure to place the egg down first. Bedivere walked forward and placed his hand on the egg. Jack floated beside her and went towards Sam, lightly biting her hand and tugging her towards the egg.

Sam pulled back her hand, rubbing off the slobber as she asked in a hushed voice. "What are you doing, Jack?"

Eirian pushed the egg towards Sam with her snout. Bedivere let out a chuckle as he walked forward and picked up the egg.

"I believe she wants you to have this," he informed Sam.

Sam's mouth fell agape. "W-what? Are you serious?" She darted her gaze between Eirian and Bedivere before looking over at Riku. "Can I?"

He shrugged, "It's your choice. You won't be with me and Hinata forever."

Sam looked back to the egg and hesitantly reached forward, grabbing it from Bedivere. It was rough in texture with blue veins and specks all across it's off white surface. Sam stumbled forward, not prepared for the unexpected weight of it, but quickly readjusted.

"I-I don't know what to say…" Sam whispered.

"Well you saved those Gwythaints!" Ben chimed in, going beside Eirian and running his hand along her side. "So me, Jack, and Eirian all thought you should get one of the eggs to raise for yourself!"

"Any idea when it will hatch?" Riku asked.

Bedivere shook his head, "Unfortunately not. Gwythaint eggs can be in incubation for up to four months and I am unsure how long they were in the King's custody. I do, however-" he pushed back his cloak and rummaged through a side satchel, pulling out a worn leather journal with a metal clasp keeping it shut. He held it out for Riku, "This is a book of sorts that I have been putting together about my knowledge of Gwythaints. I would like both of you to have it."

"Are you sure?" Riku asked, Sam still at a loss for words.

"It will do you more good than for me," Bedivere told him with a smile. "Besides, I will have time in my refuge to rewrite my findings."

"Alright, enough talk," Mordred groaned, his sentimental mood already deteriorated, "Can we get going finally?"

"Certainly," Bedivere nodded, turning around and heading back to Eirian as Ben gave her a quick last hug and Jack nuzzled his head against hers.

They moment Ben and Jack were finished, Riku grabbed the charm and closed his eyes, sending Bedivere, Eirian, and Mordred back to their homeland. He opened his eyes to find only their footprints in the snow remaining around them and he couldn't deny the slight lurch in his heart. Taking a deep breath, he looked around at the remaining group. Ben's eyes were dimmed blue as Jack floated beside him with his tail down. Sam stared in wonderment at the Gwythaint egg in her arms, unable to find her words. Riku then brought his gaze to Taran, he was still holding onto Hen Wen as she had already fallen back to sleep, obviously exhausted from the turmoil she had to endure.

Riku held out his hand and summoned a Corridor, getting everyone's attention. "Ready?" he asked them, getting nods in response. Looking towards Taran, he added, "Let's get you home."


	39. A Night to Remember

Chapter 39

***Recap: Riku and Sam went to Prydain to find the oracular pig, Hen Wen, so they could see visions of the future. Shortly after arriving, they discovered that the Horned King had returned as a Heartless and was spreading darkness throughout Prydain.

Recruiting the aid of Bedivere, Mordred, Eirian, and Taran, they ventured to the King's domain and ultimately defeated the King once and for all, also saving Hen Wen in the process. Before departing, Bedivere and Eirian gifted Sam with a Gwythaint egg as thanks for saving a group of Gwythaints in the castle.

Riku then opened a Corridor of Darkness to lead back to Taran's farm, so he and Sam can finally see the visions from Hen Wen. ***

Taran let out a breath of relief when he was met with the warmth from the sun as he exited the Corridor. He was at the edge of a forest, right outside his town's gates. Hen Wen wiggled in his arms, awake and ecstatic to finally be home. With a chuckle, Taran gently placed her on the snowy ground so she could walk on her own. She wobbled and stumbled for a moment, regaining the control of her muscles, but then trotted forward and let out a string of cheerful oinks.

"Don't wander off, Hen," Taran warned her. He stretched his arms as he looked around, noticing Sam and Riku exiting the Corridor, with Ben and Jack not far behind.

With a wave of his hand, Riku made the dark portal wisp out of existence. He walked forward, noticing Hen Wen running a bit ahead of them and slowly smiled. "She seems to be doing better," he commented to Taran.

Taran smiled, keeping his eyes trained on Hen Wen. "Yeah, she's just happy to be back home."

"Well, let's get inside the town," Sam spoke up, walking past them as she carefully held the Gwythaint egg in her arms. "I can't wait to be able to sit down again."

"You and me both!" Taran laughed, jogging forward to meet her pace. "Come on, Hen," he waved his hand towards Hen Wen, getting an happy grunt in response as she trotted beside him.

Jack let out a bark as he floated up to Hen Wen, nuzzling her head with his before softly whimpering and barking as if speaking with her. Hen Wen replied with her own oinks while they entered the town with the others.

"Welcome back to the Kingdom of Mona," a guard caught their attention as they walked through the gate.

"Thank you!" Ben chimed, borderline skipping along with the others.

They went through the bustling town, more people were out and about than before, no doubt due to the sun finally peeking through from behind the thick clouds. The once chilling air that had been eminent when Riku and Sam had first arrived was completely absent, gone with the passing of the Horned King. What remained was a new, comforting warmth that cut through the thick snow and gave a certain light to the Kingdom around them.

As they approached the farmlands, Taran slowed to a momentary stop, staring out in the distance with a forlorn expression. The others went on ahead, except Riku, who stopped beside him, crossing his arms.

A few seconds of silence passed between them, before Riku spoke up, "You alright?"

Taran darted his eyes towards him for a moment, before looking back out at the farmland. "Yeah…" he softly replied, fidgeting with a button on his thick coat. "I'm just trying to wrap my mind around what happened today. It's only been a day and I feel like a different person… I don't even know what I'm going to tell Eilonwy, especially about you."

"Me?" Riku glanced over at him.

"You're completely different than the way I remember you," Taran admitted, watching Hen Wen happily squeal in the distance as Jack floated around her. "Without you, I never would have been able to get Hen Wen back, let alone stop the Horned King from returning… We were wrong about you."

Riku brought his gaze up towards the sky, considering Taran's words. "You weren't wrong," he corrected Taran after a few moments of silence, "Last time I was here, I… did a lot of things I regret. I didn't realize I was coming back to make things right-not initially anyways-but I did… or at least I tried." He took in a long breath and uncomfortably rubbed his hand along the back of his neck. "Basically what I'm trying to say is that you and Eilonwy had every right to think I was still that person. I just came barging back into your lives right after you lost your pig, I wasn't expecting you to be excited to see me."

Taran looked up at Riku as he spoke, a smile appearing on his face as he finished. "I think you definitely made things right," he gazed back out at the farmland, "and I'm going to make sure Eilonwy knows it, too."

Riku silently smiled in response, patting his hand on Taran's shoulder before moving forward to rejoin the others. He heard the snow crunching behind him as Taran jogged up to meet his pace.

"So, uh," Taran rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to create conversation, "are you excited about seeing Hen's vision?"

Riku's smile twitched into a hard-to-read expression as he thought about his reply. "...Sort of," he eventually admitted. "I'm not sure what to expect."

"What are you wanting to see?" he pried.

"I don't… really know," Riku slowly answered, his expression turning into a frown.

"Huh…" Taran looked back forward, unsure how to respond.

"Over here!" Ben called out to them, catching their attention.

They looked towards him, seeing the small copper robot frantically waving them over from the entrance of Taran's farm. Eilonwy stood at the doorway beside Sam, holding Hen Wen in her arms as she watched Taran return alongside Riku. She darted her eyes confusedly between them, but smiled all the same when she saw the grin Taran had on his face as he broke into a run. A small gasp escaped her as Taran pulled her and Hen Wen into an embrace, but her surprise quickly transformed into a laugh.

"I'm so relieved you're back!" she told him, giving him a sweet kiss on his cheek, despite everyone else around them.

Taran laughed as he pulled back and held out his arm towards Riku. "It's all thanks to Riku. Without him, we never would have found Hen Wen!"

Sam suddenly frowned, darting her attention to Riku as he smirked in response. "I guess I did nothing," she muttered under her breath with a huff.

Eilonwy's eyes widened as she quickly glanced towards Riku. "Really?" she hesitantly spoke as she placed Hen Wen back on the ground, allowing her to run into the home. Standing back up straight with her arms stiff at her sides, she looked over Riku. "I suppose a thank you is in order."

"It's fine," Riku put up his hand to stop her. "It wasn't just me that helped. I just wanted to make things right."

"Still… after everything that happened before," she downcasted her eyes, forcing the words of gratitude, "it was very… admirable of you to help."

"I figured after everything he did," Taran grabbed Eilonwy's hands as he spoke, getting her to look back at him, "him and Sam earned seeing the vision they came here for."

"I suppose you're right," Eilonwy nodded, lightly squeezing his hands before stepping back to free the doorway. "Please, come in. I'll make some hot tea right away."

"That would be amazing," Sam replied quickly, wasting no time to go inside. "I can barely feel my legs anymore, they're so cold."

She went into the living room, the emanating heat from the fireplace greeting her as she approached a long couch covered with thick fur blankets. She sat down on the far end, gently placing her egg beside her before sinking into her seat and letting out a long, relieved breath. Riku smirked as he sat down on the other end of the couch, noticing Taran following Eilonwy to the other room. They could hear him retelling the events of the day to her with a hushed voice.

Riku stared at the flickering flames in the fireplace, his thoughts drifting to the possibilities of the vision he was about to see. His heart nervously fluttered and he swallowed hard, not noticing Sam staring at him.

"What's got you worked up?" she spoke up, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He blinked for a moment before shortly looking over at her and leaning back in his seat. "Hen Wen's vision…" he replied with a quiet voice. "I'm worried about it."

"Don't be," she half-heartedly waved him off. "Whatever Hen shows will at least give us an idea of what to expect for Hinata, even if it is bad."

"Yeah, I know…" he slowly nodded, leaning his head back and staring up at the wooden paned ceiling. "How are you feeling about the vision? You ready for it?"

"I'm nervous," she admitted, downcasting her eyes to her hands fidgeting in her lap, "but also ready. If my dad is gone, it will at least bring some closure. If he's not… then I have a lot to consider."

Riku wordlessly nodded, but didn't reply. Their conversation reached a lull as both of them fell into their swirling thoughts. They could still hear Taran and Eilonwy conversing in the other room, their voices mixed with the occasional bark from Jack or the laughter of Ben as they kept Hen Wen company. Within the next few minutes, Eilonwy returned, holding two ceramic cups, steaming with fresh, hot tea. Both Riku and Sam took their respective cups gratefully, relishing the warmth of it between their chilled hands.

"I…" Eilonwy hesitantly spoke, her hands tugging lightly at the sides of her dress. "I also made some stew for Taran's return… Based on everything Taran told me, I would imagine you both would be rather hungry."

"I would love some!" Sam spoke up the moment the words had left Eilonwy's mouth. She noticed Riku giving her a look and she defended, "She's not wrong-I'm starving! I didn't get to eat anything before we left this morning."

Eilonwy brought her hand to her mouth as she laughed lightly, "It's quite alright. I'll get you a bowl, Sam." She looked over at Riku, her smile slightly faltering as she was still unsure about his intentions. "And you?"

"If it's alright, I'd love some, too," he replied with a smile.

She softly smiled back and nodded, before turning to head back into the kitchen. Sam took a long drink of her tea, letting out an audible sigh of satisfaction.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to sleep for a week when we get back," she commented to Riku before taking another drink.

Riku chuckled, also enjoying the heat of the drink spreading through him with each sip. Holding the cup in his lap, he stared down at the brown, translucent liquid, then told her, "It's been so long since I've slept on a bed, I think I forgot what they feel like."

Sam let out a short laugh before realizing, "Wait, that whole time you were out with Xion, you didn't sleep in a bed?"

He shook his head before taking a drink of his tea. "We mostly slept outside around a campfire or something."

"That sucks," she blatantly remarked. "I'm sure glad I didn't go on that mission with you."

Before Riku could reply, Eilonwy returned with Taran at her side, each of them carrying two steaming bowls. Placing their mostly empty cups of tea on tables beside them, both Riku and Sam took a bowl of stew from Eilonwy gratefully. Eilonwy smiled at them before going to Dalben's empty rocking chair on the other side of the fireplace and sitting down. Taran handed a bowl to Eilonwy before he sat down on the floor by her feet, already eating the hearty stew.

"This is delicious," Sam spoke up with a half-filled mouth, devouring the stew without bothering to look at the others.

Riku rolled his eyes and let out a short sigh from Sam's manners, as he slowly began to eat. After a couple minutes, he spoke up, "Thank you for the food and the tea." He looked between Eilonwy and Taran.

Eilonwy swallowed her food, before replying, "How long will you be staying?"

"After we see the visions from Hen Wen, we'll be on our way," Riku assured her.

"What are you hoping to see?" Eilonwy inquired, keeping her bowl in her lap.

"I'm not sure," Riku admitted as he absently stirred the wooden spoon through the thick broth. "Anything that will tell me about Hinata's future."

"And I'm hoping to see what happened to my dad," Sam spoke up, placing her already empty bowl on the table beside her tea. "He… went missing two years ago."

Eilonwy nodded silently with a small frown, unsure of what to say in response. Instead, Taran informed them, "After we're finished eating, I'll get everything ready for the visions."

"Alright, thanks," Riku nodded, getting back to eating his food.

They continued to eat. Taran would occasionally attempt to start up a conversation, but only received short responses, leaving the majority of the meal to be enjoyed silently. After they were all finally finished, Eilonwy gathered the dishes as Taran went back to the kitchen. He came back with a large clay bowl, placing it on the ground in the center of the room. Getting up once again, he jogged back to the kitchen, returning with a full pitcher of water before pouring its entire contents into the bowl.

"What is he doing?" Sam whispered over to Riku as Taran once again got up to retrieve Hen Wen.

"It's how Hen Wen can tell visions," he explained to her, shifting nervously in his seat. "she puts her nose in the water and you'll see everything on the water's surface."

"Seriously?" she asked incredulously, seeing Riku simply nod in response. "Well, alright," she placed her hands on her knees and let out a breath. "Who's going first?"

"You can," he quickly replied.

"Oh... alright," she took in a deep breath. "Let's do this then…"

Eilonwy returned to her seat in the rocking chair after she had cleared the dishes. "Are you ready?" she asked them.

Riku only nodded as Sam replied, "Yes. What do I need to do?"

"Taran will explain everything," Eilonwy assured her, running her hand along the arms of her chair. "I don't fully understand it myself yet."

Ben toddled into the room excitedly, stopping beside the bowl of water. Jack floated in behind him, landing on Riku's lap, as if sensing he was uneasy. Riku ran his hand along Jack's back, trying to keep his nervous heart in check. A series of oinks caught their attention as Hen Wen entered the living room beside Taran. She calmly went up to the bowl of water, already knowing what was going to happen.

"Jack and I explained to her what we're going to do!" Ben informed everyone proudly. He sat down in front of the bowl and clapped his metal hands. "Oh, I'm so excited!"

"Make sure you record them, Ben," Riku reminded him, his voice quiet.

"Yes'sir!" Ben saluted. "I can't wait to show them to Hinata when we get back!"

"What are they going on about?" Eilonwy whispered to Taran as he knelt down beside Hen Wen.

"I've learned to ignore it," Taran replied with a chuckle, running his hand along Hen Wen's back. "Where is Dalben?"

"He went upstairs to sleep shortly after you left," Eilonwy replied, glancing towards the stairwell. "Do you want me to go get him?"

Taran shook his head, "No, it's alright. I just wanted to make sure he won't come down here while Hen Wen is showing them the visions."

"Would he not approve?" she asked, fidgeting her hands in her lap. "Are you sure it's alright if you show them then?"

"I have to," Taran simply replied. "After everything they did, it's the least we could do."

Eilonwy let out a breath, obviously disagreeing with him, but told him, "I'll trust you, Taran."

"Thank you," he smiled back at her, before looking back to Sam and Riku. "Alright, who's going first?"

"I am," Sam shakily stood up from her seat, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous. She stepped forward and knelt down to Hen Wen's level. "What all do I need to do?"

"The most important thing is to make sure you're only thinking of the thing you want to see," Taran explained, glancing up at her to make sure she understood. "If you're distracted in any way, the vision might not be about what you're hoping for."

"What exactly is it going to show?" Sam tightened her hands in her lap.

"From what Dalben's taught me, I believe she shows your memories, but… future ones." he looked down at Hen Wen and patted her on the head. "So, it will all be from your point of view, showing something you're going to see at some point."

"What if… the person I'm looking for..." her voice trailed off for a moment, before she took a deep breath and finished, "doesn't exist anymore? What will she show?"

Taran looked up at her, before averting them to the crackling fireplace. "I'm… not sure." he admitted.

Sam stared down at the water's surface, thinking it over. "Alright…" she spoke up, breaking the silent tension. "I'm ready." She brought her gaze back up to Taran's, swallowing hard.

Taran nodded, "I'll show you how to do it."

He held out his right pointer finger and placed the tip of it in the water's surface, barely making it ripple. Hen Wen's eyes were trained on his finger, concentrating and waiting for him to speak.

He took in a deep breath before speaking with an even-toned voice, moving his finger in a circular motion along the water's surface. "Hen Wen, from you I do beseech, knowledge that lies beyond my reach…"

Hen Wen's eyes followed Taran's movements, hypnotized by his words. She languidly lowered her snout into the water, her blue eyes transforming into red as a glowing aura leaked into the water. The surface shimmered before showing an older Eilonwy, wearing an elegant white dress with intricate laced details from the top to bottom. A simple silver crown was atop her head, her blonde hair braided and curled around its base with flowers woven in.

The real Eilonwy gasped and stood from her seat when she saw herself in the vision. "Why Taran, what did you ask to see?"

Taran simply smiled, not replying as the vision played on. In the vision, Eilonwy stood near an open window in a regal castle, overlooking a beautiful thriving kingdom below. A hand reached forward and gently grabbed hers, making her blink in surprise before looking over to see who it was. She looked right out at the rest of them with a blushed face and a warm smile. Before anything else was shown, Taran tapped his finger on the water's surface, startling Hen Wen out of her trance and ending the vision.

Sam looked back to Riku in disbelief, speaking with a hushed, shaking voice, "That was so real… I felt like I was actually there. Is that what mine will be like?"

"I don't know…" he quietly replied, his pace had quickened as his mind raced with all the different horrible possibilities he could see for Hinata.

Taran laughed under his breath, "Finally found something that even surprises you." He stood up and turned towards Eilonwy, seeing her reddened face and tear filled eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled nervously. "I, uh, was thinking about you."

Unable to find her voice, Eilonwy stepped forward and embraced him, whispering something to him that Sam and Riku couldn't make out. Sam smiled up at the couple, before looking down at Hen Wen. Her eyes had returned to their original blue, but her mind seemed clouded.

"That takes a lot out of you, huh?" Sam softly spoke to her, running her hand along Hen Wen's back. "You sure you're up to showing our visions?"

Hen Wen brought her gaze up to Sam's, her eyes boring into hers, making Sam shift uncomfortably. Sam averted her gaze, looking back up to Eilonwy as Taran pulled back from her. Eilonwy wiped the corners of her eyes and sat back down in her chair, regaining her composure.

"Are you ready, Sam?" Taran asked her as he knelt back down beside Hen Wen.

Sam nodded, "Yes…" She looked over to Ben, "Are you ready to record?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ben calmly replied with a small nod. "I'll start recording the moment the vision starts."

"Alright…" Sam replied hoarsely, clearing her throat as she readjusted how she was sitting. Closing her eyes, she focused on her dad, picturing him in her mind and recalling everything she could about him. When he was fully in her thoughts, she reopened her eyes and gently put her right pointer finger against the water's surface, mimicking Taran's previous movements. She took in a long deep breath, before reciting with a shaking voice, "Hen Wen, from you I do beseech, knowledge that lies beyond my reach…"

Hen Wen's eyes followed her movements the same way she had with Taran, and put her snout into the water. As the glowing aura covered the water's surface, Ben's eyes lit up, further illuminating the bowl of water as he began recording.

The surface rippled before showing a vast domed building. The walls were made of a thick glass, with the occasional glowing blue ribbing to secure it in place. Outside the walls was a surreal underwater world, where fish of all shapes and sizes swam under the shimmering water's surface up above as streaks of sunlight broke through the water. An unfamiliar alien species walked all around. Their skin appeared to be amphibious, in various shades of greens and purples. Rather than hair, thick long tentacles fell from their heads, framing their faces and large black eyes. They stared as they went past, as if shocked that Sam was there.

Amongst the aliens were groups of metal soldiers, holding black guns in their hands and marching along in lines of two. They were tan in color, and their heads were narrow with two slits on either side. Sam watched them pass before noticing a man standing near the glass wall, staring at the fish outside as he fumbled with a wooden figurine in his hands.

The real Sam gasped and brought her hand to her mouth the instant she saw him. His dark lavender hair was in dreadlocks, reaching to his shoulders; half of it was tied up behind a brown bandana. He stood out from the surrounding aliens like a sore thumb, with his tanned skin and simple clothes. A braided twine was around his neck, meeting down to a fish hook that rested over his chest. His purple eyes looked down at the figurine in his hands, not noticing Sam approach.

In the vision, Sam's reluctant hand reached out, about to touch his shoulder to get his attention before pausing as the wooden figurine caught her eye. It was a carved wooden model of the first ship she and her dad had built together.

The real Sam sniffled, using the back of her hand to wipe away the tears falling down her cheeks. "Dad…!" she let out a soft cry in disbelief, before feeling Riku's hand on her shoulder.

The vision suddenly swirled away before Sam's hand touched her dad's shoulder. The real Sam opened her mouth to ask what was happening, before the water's surface showed a new scene. Her father sat in a tall cushioned chair in front of a ship's control board. Through the windshield was the vastness of space and a large blue planet that the ship was orbiting. In the vision, Sam sat down in the seat beside her father and saw her father's mouth begin to move as if he were speaking, but they couldn't hear his voice or make out his words. He then looked over, meeting his gaze with Sam's and grinned as he held out the same wooden figurine he had been holding in the last vision.

Without thinking, the real Sam outstretch her hand, ready to take the wooden carving before she met with the water's surface, rippling the vision away. She sat there in silence for a moment, realizing that she had preemptively stopped the vision, but couldn't help the grin that slowly appeared on her face despite it. Shaking her head in disbelief, she sniffled and let out a laugh.

"I-I can't believe it," her tear-strained voice trembled as she spoke. She wiped away more of her tears as she stood up. "He's alive! My dad-" she turned around towards Riku, seeing him smiling up at her, "he's alive! I-I have to go find him!" She ruffled her hair as she paced away, her mind racing with thoughts. "I mean, I will, obviously! But when? What about the stuff I'm doing with you guys? Should I even go back to Twilight Town?" She abruptly stopped, "I have to tell James…" She spun back around towards the others silently watching her, "I have to go tell James!"

"We will," Riku got up from his seat, walking over to her. "I promise. We'll make sure you get back to Montressor."

"B-but what about you and Hinata?" she asked, unable to stay still as she continued to pace. "I mean, I came out to help you guys and to take down Axel-"

"What?" Riku interrupted. "That's why you really came out here?"

"But even going after him seems pointless now," she laughed under her breath, completely disregarding his question. She momentarily stopped walking and held out her hands at her side. "I mean, my dad is alive! This changes everything!"

As Riku calmed Sam down, Eilonwy leaned over to Taran and whispered, "What was that? I've never seen such a place in all my life."

Taran shook his head, his eyes fixated on the water's surface even though it no longer showed the vision. "I-I have no idea…" he admitted a bit hoarsely. "Ben told me stories about their adventures, but I didn't believe him."

"Stories?" Eilonwy asked, glancing up at Ben silently awaiting Riku and Sam to return. "What sort of stories?"

"Stories that they travel to different worlds and fight those Heartless creatures everywhere they go," Taran explained. "I never would have believed him if it wasn't for what we just saw…"

"Ben," Riku walked back over, getting the small robot's attention. "Did you get it recorded?"

"Sure did!" Ben proudly replied. "And I'm ready to record yours, too!"

Riku nodded and glanced up at Sam. She stood by the door with her arms crossed as her fingers drummed along her arms. Her eyes were reddened from her tears, but a permanent smile was plastered on her face. She noticed Riku looking over at her and met her eyes with his, giving him a nod.

"It will be fine, Riku," she assured him. "I know it will."

Riku half-smiled in return before looking back to Taran and Eilonwy. Their expressions were still in disbelief over what they had seen in Sam's vision. Taran looked up at Riku and strained a smile.

"So, uh, everything Ben said is true, isn't it?" he asked Riku, his voice hesitant. "You're from another world?" He noticed Riku immediately frown and quickly added, "I-it's fine, we won't tell anyone. Just… hard to believe."

"Yeah… I know what you mean," Riku nervously laughed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Taran took a deep breath, forcing himself to get over what he had just learned. "Alright then, are you ready for your vision then?"

Riku wordlessly nodded and looked over at Hen Wen, catching her blue eyes gazing back at him. Something about her made him feel uneasy, as if she was looking right into his soul. He slowly knelt down beside her and took in a deep breath as he took off one of his gloves.

Barely touching the surface of the water, he gently moved his finger in a circular motion, repeating the words, "Hen Wen, from you I do beseech, knowledge that lies beyond my reach…"

Hen Wen followed his movements with her eyes, before lowering her snout into the water. The surface shimmered as Ben lit up his eyes, beginning his recording. A familiar sight appeared on the water's surface: a blue sparkling ocean that went out as far as they could see. Clouds speckled the sky as seagulls flew by, landing on the tall coconut trees that surrounded them. Hinata walked into view, her hands clasped behind her as she looked around. Her hair tapered past her shoulders, swaying softly with the breeze. A blue floral fabric was tied at her hips, billowing in the wind, and a black swimsuit top was fastened around her chest. She looked over her shoulder at Riku, her tattoo glowing brilliantly as she spoke, yet they couldn't hear her voice.

In the vision, Riku walked forward and pushed a few strands of Hinata's hair behind her ear, making her giggle before she looked back out at the ocean view. Behind them, Sora and Kairi came running up, both of them in their swimsuits, laughing as they approached. Kairi tackle hugged Hinata, almost making them topple over as Sora stopped beside Riku, grinning over at him. Suddenly, the vision swirled, making the image disappear before bringing up something new.

Riku stood in front of a group of familiar faces, Hinata being one of them. Star and crescent moon shaped windows were along the walls behind them, showing a deep space outdoors. In the center of the room was a long table, where a man with a long grayed beard sat, speaking to him. His eyes appeared stern and serious, but given the smiles on everyone else's face, Riku felt calm and welcomed. Beside the man stood Mickey with Donald and Goofy at his side. Behind them, Hinata had her hands clasped in front of her chest with a sweet expression on her face. She looked over to the right of Riku, making Riku look over to see Sora standing beside him with his hands linked behind his head as he spoke with a goofy grin molded onto his face. Sora noticed Riku's stare and looked over at him. The moment their eyes met, the vision once again swirled, about to change into a new image.

"I don't understand," the real Riku spoke up, shortly glancing up at Sam as she had walked over to see the vision. "These seem really far in the future."

Sam met his gaze, her eyes equally as confused as his. "Just keep watching, we'll figure it out."

Riku frowned, but looked back at the vision, showing him walking through a forest. Lush green trees surrounded him and soft grass speckled with flowers covered the ground. He noticed Hinata in the distance, sitting on top of a plush red-checkered quilt beside a woven picnic basket. In front of her was a little girl, no more than the age of six. Her hair was the same color as Riku's, reaching all the way to her waist. She sat patiently while Hinata braided her hair, weaving in some of the flowers from around the forest.

"Wait, is that…?" Sam softly began to speak, kneeling down to see the vision better.

Before she could finish her sentence, both the little girl and Hinata looked over. Their eyes didn't meet with Riku's but a little below to the right of him. Hinata's smile turned into a grin as she held out her arms. A little boy, barely over the age of two, with dark red hair, toddled into view from Riku's side. He stumbled a bit, but ran into Hinata's arms, receiving a warm hug. Hinata laughed, kissing the little boy on his forehead before looking up at Riku. A sweet glow was in her matured face and smile.

The real Riku gasped when their eyes met, his breath catching in his throat as his heart jumped. He knew exactly who those children were. A warm flush covered his face as tears threatened to fill his eyes. Swallowing hard, he looked away, unable to keep his gaze with Hinata's without being overwhelmed with emotion.

"T-that-" his voice came out hoarsely, making him clear his throat, "That's enough."

Taran reached forward and rippled the water, making the vision disappear. Riku leaned back, feeling the couch behind him to support his weight. He looked over at the crackling fire, wrapping his mind over everything he had just seen. His heart fluttered every time he replayed the events, a blush permanently on his cheeks. Ever so slowly, a smirk appeared on his face, eventually transforming into a full smile.

He tore his gaze from the flames to see Sam. She noticed him looking over and smiled at him, shaking her head and letting out a breathy laugh.

"Might not have been what we were looking for," she laughed, her voice still stained with tears. "But you have to admit, that was pretty amazing anyways."

Riku only smiled in response, still unable to fully find his voice. He looked over to Taran and Eilonwy. Taran was silently stroking Hen Wen's back as she lay exhausted on the floor, but a smile was evident on his face, as it was on Eilonwy's.

"That was…" Eilonwy softly spoke, "incredible. All of the visions were." She looked up at Riku. "Hinata is going to be thrilled when she hears of your vision."

Riku bit the inside of his cheek, feeling a rise of emotions. Clearing his throat, he abruptly stood up and straightened his clothes. "We, uh, we should get going," he replied, keeping his gaze averted from everyone when his voice slightly quivered.

Sam stood as well, taking a deep breath, "You're right." She looked towards Taran and Eilonwy as they stood. "Thank you, for everything. This…" her voice trailed off as it cracked. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat. "This changed my life."

Eilonwy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Sam in a warm hug. Sam instantly hugged her back. "I'll miss you, Sam." Eilonwy told her softly. "I wish you the best, especially with finding your father."

"Thank you," Sam pulled away and wiped her cheeks. "And I wish the best for you and Taran, too."

Eilonwy brought her hand to her mouth as she laughed softly, her cheeks blushing. She then turned to Riku, who was still keeping his eyes averted from everyone as he tried to regain control of his emotions. As she approached, he turned his attention to her.

"I-" she began to speak, unsure what to say. To the surprise of Riku, she reached forward and grabbed his ungloved hand with both of hers. Holding his hand between them, she looked up at him with determined eyes and told him, "I want you to take care of Hinata. I believe you truly have changed into the person she knew you could be and I expect you to uphold that for her. The future you saw can only come true if you allow it. Don't let her down."

Riku blinked in surprise before eventually nodding, "I won't. I promise."

"Good," she released his hand, satisfied with his reply. "Have a safe trip home." She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed respectfully, before turning around to let Taran through.

"Do you think you'll ever be back?" Taran asked as he approached Riku.

"It's hard to say," Riku admitted. "I know Hinata would like to come back for a visit someday, though-so, hopefully."

"Maybe Prydain was the place in that last vision!" Ben chimed in, making Riku's face flush.

"Yeah… maybe," Riku replied with a quiet voice.

"I hope you do come back," Taran told him, a smile on his face when Riku looked back at him. "You and Hinata are always welcomed, whenever you want." He looked over at Sam, beside Riku. "And you, too, Sam. Thank you for all of your help."

"Take care of yourself, Taran," Sam smiled, placing her hand on his shoulder, "and take care of Eilonwy, too. She's a great girl."

Taran's face warmed as he chuckled, "Oh, I know it."

Sam patted his shoulder before removing her hand and walking past him towards the couch, making sure to grab the egg. Holding it in her arms, she smiled down at Hen Wen as Ben and Jack bid her farewell.

"Ready, you guys?" Sam asked them.

"Sure am!" Ben spun around. "I can't wait to show Hinata the visions!"

Jack barked and floated up, licking Sam on the cheek before landing on her shoulder.

"Alright," Sam chuckled, walking back to the front door beside Riku, "Let's get going."

"I'll beam us up!" Ben excitedly pressed in his chest compartment, flipping the control board around and pressing on the large button.

A bright light surrounded them and within a single moment, they were back on the deck of the ship. They looked around, realizing they were back in their regular clothes and Ben was back in his old body. Ben immediately ran to the navigation, stumbling over his lanky limbs. As he eventually reached the controls, be began getting the ship ready to head back to Twilight Town. Sam's and Riku's eyes met for a moment, yet neither of them were sure what to say to the other.

Sam turned and looked out at Prydain below them, her arms tightly encased around her egg. "Did all of that really just happen?" she eventually broke the silence.

Riku laughed quietly as he came up beside her, his hands wrapping around the railing. "I'm still trying to figure that out myself."

"My dad's alive…" she breathed out, still in disbelief.

"Yeah," Riku replied, slowly nodding as the ship's engines came to life.

"And your vision…" Sam shook her head. "You're going to be a-"

"Don't say it," Riku quickly interrupted her, noticing her whip her attention up to him. He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I, um, can't think about it without getting emotional."

Sam barely pouted out her lip as she smiled. "Aw, who knew you of all people had a soft side?"

Riku side-glanced at her, trying to scowl, but couldn't hide the fact that he, too, was smiling. "I'm full of surprises."

"I'll say," Sam scoffed, looking back out at space as the ship began moving. "How are you going to tell Hinata?"

"I have no idea," he shook his head. "I can't really just have Ben walk in and show it to her. It's a lot to take in."

Sam watched the stars whiz by as she thought over his words. After a couple minutes, she suggested, "You should take her out somewhere tonight."

"What?" Riku looked over at her.

"She hasn't been out of the mansion in months," she reminded him as she turned around and leaned her back against the railing. "The visions might not have shown the immediate future for her, but you know she'll end up safe at some point. Before you show her the vision, take her out on some nice date or something."

Riku pondered it for a moment, "I don't know... "

"When's the last time you took her out on a date?" she asked. "Excluding that Christmas disaster?" When Riku didn't reply within a few seconds, she sighed, "See, if you can't even recall the last time off the top of your head, it's past time for a date."

"I thought it was a rhetorical question," he defended, smirking when Sam rolled her eyes. "But, I sort of agree. I can take her somewhere close and just be on guard in case anything comes up."

"Yeah, and if someone does show up, then just create one of your dark portals to get back to the mansion." She smirked when Riku looked over at her. "Take her on the nice date, be all romantic or whatever, then bring her back to the mansion and have Ben show her the vision."

Riku nodded as he thought it over, "What will you do in the meantime?"

"Probably call James and explain everything I found out," Sam informed him, taking in a deep breath as she looked down at the large egg in her arms. "We have a lot to talk about."

"You think you'll head back to Montressor?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet," she sighed. They fell back to silence for a moment as Sam began thinking everything over. Shaking her head, she stood up from the railing, "Anyways, I should probably go put this egg in my room. Do you have that book Bedivere gave you about how to take care of it?"

"Oh, yeah," Riku reached into his coat pocket, pulling out the leather book and placing it between the egg and the side of her arm.

"Thanks," she sent him a small smile as she walked forward and added, "Go get ready for the date, I'll call Hinata and let her know to get gussied up."

"You don't have to," Riku shook his head. "She'll be fine going out the way she is."

Sam scoffed, stopping by the stairs leading below deck. "Trust me, you didn't see her when you were off with Xion. She's going to need a heads up. Let's just hope a half hour is enough time to fix that mess." She laughed when Riku sent her a look, "I'm kidding… sort of." She laughed again as she disappeared below deck.

As she left, Riku turned back around, staring out at the stars as they flew by. His thoughts wandered to the vision, his heart fluttering as he felt a warmth spread to his cheeks. Shaking his head, he turned around and headed below deck to take a shower and get ready.

Barely thirty minutes had passed before Ben called below that they had returned to Twilight Town. Riku opened the door to his room, readjusting a button on his shirt before he heard Sam whistle. He stopped abruptly and sent her an unappreciative look as she snickered.

"Hey, you clean up nice, alright?" she shrugged, closing her bedroom door behind her. Walking up to him, she asked, "You know where you're taking her? She's pretty excited."

Riku smirked, "Yeah, I have a great place in mind. After I go talk to DiZ about the mission, I'll-"

"Don't worry about that," Sam interrupted as she waved him off, "I'll go talk to DiZ; you go to Hinata."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "DiZ might not like it if I don't come in with you."

"Well, then, he can deal," she rolled her eyes as she turned to walk up the stairs towards the deck. "I'll just tell him you're busy or too tired, or whatever. You can go talk to him tomorrow morning."

Riku watched her disappear up the stairs before turning to head towards the bathroom. He flicked on the light, seeing his reflection in the large mirror. He wore a well fitted dark purple shirt. White buttons were lined through the center, as well as a single button on each end of his sleeves near his forearms. He readjusted the collar before grabbing a brown leather belt off the counter and fastening it around his hips with its silver buckle. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black formal pants, he looked over his reflection once more. With a small nod of acceptance, he turned and left the bathroom, flicking off the light behind him.

Reaching the deck, he noticed Ben still at the controls with Jack, and spoke up, "Hey, Ben?"

"Yes'sir!" Ben stood up tall, listening intently.

"Could you come to my room in a few hours?" he asked. "I want to show Hinata the vision."

"Most definitely!" Ben chimed, "I'll be here all night, so just let me know whenever you're ready!"

"Alright," Riku nodded towards him with a small smile before leaving the ship.

Opening the glass door leading inside, he felt a sudden rush of nervousness. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as he made his way to his and Hinata's room. A smile appeared on his face when he noticed the light from their room as he entered the hallway. The room was surprisingly empty, yet cluttered. He paused in confusion before he could hear Hinata's muffled voice coming from inside the bathroom. He went over to the closed door and lightly knocked.

"I'll be right out!" she answered quickly in a sing-song voice.

Riku smiled to himself as he turned and looked towards their desk. Hinata's Journey Journal was on its surface, opened to a new page Riku had never seen before. He approached and placed his hands on the back of the desk chair while he examined it. It showed Hinata, Sam, and Namine in their pajamas, sitting on a bed covered with various treats and snacks. Sam was telling a story as Hinata laughed and Namine simply smiled, her hands clasped in her lap.

"Must have been their sleepover last night," Riku mused with a quiet voice. He was about to turn to a previous page before he heard the bathroom door open.

"I'm so glad you're back," Hinata greeted him as he turned around.

Riku stopped short, his breath catching as he saw her. Her hair was braided from one side to the other, before cascading over her shoulder in loose curls. She wore a blue dress speckled with small, white polka dots that was well fitted around her chest and waist, before falling freely to her calves. White buttons went up from her waist, leading to right above her chest, showcasing a tasteful amount of skin.

Riku's mouth fell agape for a moment as he looked her over, before breathing out, "Wow."

Hinata brought her hand to her mouth as she laughed softly under her breath. She looked down as she grabbed the sides of her dress and held it out. "I wasn't sure what to wear, Sam just told me I needed to dress up and this is the closest thing I have to formal clothes." she brought her gaze back up to him, "I hope I didn't overdo it."

"Are you kidding?" Riku walked towards her, placing his hands along her waist as he brought her closer and met their lips together. "You're beautiful," he told her as he looked over her face, noticing a light amount of makeup adorning her skin.

Hinata smiled back, her face warming. "Well, you don't look half bad yourself." She ran her hands along his arms. "I don't think I've ever seen you in a button-up shirt before."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I bought it a while ago and it's just been sitting in the closet on the ship. Figured it was time to wear it out."

"I like it," she told him, meeting their lips back together for a moment. "You look very handsome."

Riku smirked in response, looking her over, before admitting, "I really missed you."

Hinata grinned, her cheeks flushing further. "I really missed you, too. That vision must have been good if you're willing to take me out tonight."

"Yeah," he replied slowly, drawing out the word a bit. "It wasn't exactly what we were expecting…."

She slightly tilted her head in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Riku averted his gaze, "It's hard to explain, Ben recorded it though so-"

"He did?" she interrupted him with widened eyes filling with excitement. "C-can I see it?"

Riku chuckled as he brought his eyes back to hers, "Not until after I take you out, alright?"

Hinata slightly frowned but it quickly transformed back into a smile. "You're lucky I'm too stir crazy to fight you on that."

"Oh, trust me, I know," he nodded, laughing with her. "Are you ready to go?"

"Just let me grab my shoes," she stepped away from his arms and went over to the wardrobe, pulling out a pair of white heels. Using his shoulder for support, she carefully stepped into them, matching Riku's height. She turned towards him and grabbed his hands, chiming, "Ready!"

With a simple wave of his hand, Riku surrounded them with a black mist. When it dissipated, they were met with a cool breeze and salty-tinged air. They stood on a wooden pier, overlooking a sparkling ocean that reflected the warm sun setting sky. Hinata walked up to the pier's railing, looking out at the ocean with her eyes slightly narrowed.

"This isn't the island…" she mumbled to herself, trying to figure out where they were.

She turned around, seeing dozens of people of all ages bustling around the pier between the various shops. Star shaped lights were hung along a wire, crisscrossing between the shops and providing a gorgeous twinkling light over the crowd. A few kids were running along the beach beside the pier, flying their colorful kites that spun and twirled in the wind. Hinata looked over at Riku, who was watching her with a smile. He walked over to grab her hands.

"Are we still in Twilight Town?" she guessed.

He nodded, "Yep, this is the beach I've been wanting to take you to."

A grin grew on her face as she looked around at the other people in the crowd, then she looked down at her formal dress. "I guess I did overdo it a bit."

Riku chuckled before giving her a short kiss on her cheek, secretly loving that he didn't have to lean forward since she matched his height with her heels. "I have a fancy place in mind for dinner, so you'll fit right in."

She looked back at him and squeezed his hand, "Thank you."

"For what?" he spoke with a laugh.

"For this," she motioned around them. "For getting me out of that mansion, even if it is just for tonight... It's just what I needed." Her smile began to falter as the words left her mouth and she averted her gaze to the ocean.

Riku watched her, noticing her eyes becoming distant and distracted. "Is… something wrong?"

She darted her gaze back to him, her smile slightly returning before falling back to the frown. "Oh, um, it's about Xion…" She noticed Riku's expression fall and added quickly. "But, let's not worry about it until we get back." She fully turned towards him and grasped both his hands in hers. "Let's just make tonight about the two of us and forget about everything else going on."

Riku's smirk quickly returned as he met their lips together for a lingering kiss. As he pulled away, he whispered to her. "That sounds perfect."

"I would like to hear about everything that happened in Prydain at some point though," she looked at him almost pleadingly.

He laughed, "I mean, if you insist."

He released one of their hands, making sure to keep the other tightly clasped, and began leading through the crowd, filling her in on everything that had happened on his mission. They stopped at every shop along the way as he talked, allowing Hinata to cut in with her questions and comments at every turn. He laughed freely, recalling all the snide remarks Mordred had made and all the times Taran freaked out at the tiniest things. He left out most of the life threatening parts to fill her in on at a later time, mostly focusing on all the positive bits.

"That's amazing!" Hinata eventually said when his story had fully been told. They were in line to buy a necklace Riku had picked out for her. "I can't believe I missed out on all that."

Riku smiled, looking over the blue stones that made up the necklace in his hand as he replied, "Taran and Eilonwy definitely missed you, too." He looked up at her and assured her, "But, I don't think you really would have liked being in the King's castle. There was darkness everywhere."

"Still though," she sighed as she crossed her arms. "You brought a whole team together to take down the Horned King. That's incredible."

"Well, you got to lead an entire military in a lost underwater city without me," Riku reminded her, nudging her slightly with his shoulder. "So, I think this makes us even."

Hinata let out a short laugh, falling quiet as they reached the front of the line. She allowed Riku to handle the transaction, looking down at the necklace as he handed it to the cashier. It was mostly made of polished blue stones that matched the color of her dress. Cream colored sea shells dangled from the frontmost stones, a thin red swirl decorating their surface. She wasn't sure what about it caught Riku's eyes, but she smiled as he reached over and clasped it around her neck. He admired it on her for a moment before grabbing her hand and leading her out of the shop. Hinata glanced down at it as they left, it rested right above her chest, feeling cool to her skin. Her face warmed as she ran her hand along it, and she felt her tattoo beginning to dimly glow.

"Thank you," she softly spoke as they came back out to the pier.

Riku smiled sweetly, "Yeah. It suits you."

"So where are we off to now?" she asked, walking alongside him.

"I was thinking dinner," he side glanced at her with a smirk.

"Oh thank goodness," she let out a breath of relief, placing her hand along her stomach. "I'm starving."

"Me, too," he admitted, looking around for the restaurant he had in mind.

"I thought you said Eilonwy made you and Sam some stew?" she asked, stepping out of the way of a short silver robot rolling past. She paused for a moment and looked behind her to see if her eyes deceived her, but whatever it was had disappeared amidst the crowd.

"She did," Riku rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, not noticing Hinata looking behind her. "It… wasn't very good though. Sam liked it well enough, probably because she barely gave herself enough time to even taste it."

Hinata turned to look back at him as they walked, a smile appearing on her face. She snickered, giving him a peck on the cheek. "You really are picky."

"Am not," he defended, spotting the restaurant and leading them towards it.

Soft classical music rang through the air as they approached a regal stone building near the end of the pier. A tall male waiter in a suit stood at the glass double doored entrance, opening the door for them as they approached. Riku nodded in thanks as Hinata's mouth fell open when she saw the interior of the restaurant. Lavender satin-clothed tables surrounded an open area where couples slowly danced to the sound of a strings quartet playing romantic harmonious music. Above the dance floor hung a gorgeously designed chandelier, its crystals sparkling their light around the room.

"I'm suddenly feeling under dressed," Hinata whispered as they stood at the entrance, waiting for someone to lead them to a table.

Riku laughed under his breath, giving her hand a small squeeze. As a female waitress approached them, Riku spoke up, "We'd like a table outside."

The women simply smiled and gave a nod as she held out her arm to show them to follow her. She turned and weaved through the tables of wealthy patrons, leading past a stone archway with purple velvet draped at the sides. They then stood outside on a polished wooden deck that was built over the ocean, facing away from the bustling pier. The water was surprisingly calm, it's surface perfectly reflecting the sky's warm hues as the sun continued to set. The silhouettes of mountains could be seen in the distance across the sea, as well as the occasional boat sailing across the water.

Hinata was speechless at the sight, barely noticing as Riku brought her to a table right beside the railing, giving them a perfect view. She only tore her admiring gaze when she heard him clear his throat. Blinking for a moment, she looked over and saw him standing behind a tall chair, pulling it out for her. She brought her eyes up to his face, seeing him smiling expectantly at her. She slowly smiled back as she walked over and carefully sat in her seat.

As Riku went around to his seat, she looked over the table. It was draped with the same lavender satin cloth as the rest of the tables inside. A large cream candle was lit, its light showing through its frosted glass holder, giving the entire table a warm glow. She looked up at Riku as he scooted his chair forward and shook her head with a smile.

"Is this actually happening?" she asked with a small laugh.

He slightly frowned from her question. "What do you mean?"

She looked out at the ocean view. "This just seems like something taken out of a book or movie… or even a dream."

Riku examined her for a moment as she lost herself in the view around them, before smirking. "Well, if this is some sort of dream, I'd rather not wake up from it." He joined her in looking out at the landscape. "It's been way too long since we've done anything remotely special for just the two of us."

"Yeah," she nodded, bringing her gaze back to him.

A love struck expression embodied her face as she looked at him and reached a hand towards his, grasping it on the table and getting his attention. He drew his eyes back to hers and they smiled at each other for a moment before the same waitress that had led them to their table approached to give them their menus and retrieve their drink orders.

They both skimmed through the menu and gave their entire orders to the waitress before she could even leave to grab their beverages. After she had gone, they began to talk, keeping their hands clasped on the table. For the first time since they had reunited on Montressor, they didn't once mention anything that was going on with the mansion or their missions. Instead they took the time to get to know each other again. Filling each other in on everything that had changed about their likes and dislikes, or any new books they had read while they were apart. Their food arrived within the next twenty minutes and they continued to enjoy each other's company as they ate.

Once they both had fully completed their meals, Riku took a sip of his lemonade and glanced inside the restaurant towards the dancing couples. A majority of them were older than he was, gazing into each other's eyes and laughing as they danced to the beautiful melodies of the band. Placing his drink back on the table, he stood up and held out his hand for Hinata.

She looked at his open hand from her seat for a moment in confusion, "What is it?"

"Dance with me," he told her, his face warming when she looked up at him in surprise.

"What?" she asked with a laugh. "Since when are you into dancing?"

"Do you want to or not?" he asked her with a laugh of his own.

She switched her gaze between his face and his outstretched hand a couple of times before hesitantly placing her hand in his. "Alright," she said as she stood up beside him with a smile. "I'll dance with you."

He clasped her hand tightly in his as he turned and led the way into the ballroom, making sure they were mixed into the center of the group of dancers before stopping and facing her. He placed his hand along her waist, right above her hip and held up their already clasped hands at their side. Hinata moved closer until they were touching, before placing her hand along his shoulder.

"You don't need to stand so far away from me," she teased as they began to sway to the rhythm of the music.

He nervously chuckled, glancing down at their feet every few seconds to make sure he wasn't going to step on her toes. "Yeah, I don't really do this sort of thing very often."

She giggled in response, giving him a peck on the cheek, "I hadn't noticed."

Riku laughed, finally keeping his eyes away from their feet and taking a moment to look her over. "You really are beautiful tonight." he told her, smiling as her face warmed in response. "I didn't think I would ever get to see you in this dress, not in person anyways."

"Yeah, well if it wasn't for tonight, you probably wouldn't have," she admitted, taking a moment to glance around at the other couples around them. "The last time I wore this was back on Montressor."

"Now I'm really glad I decided to dance with you," he smirked, moving his hand on her waist to the small of her back to pull her closer. "Your last dance partner was pretty awful."

She scoffed, but chuckled at the end, "I still can't believe I actually danced with him." She met her eyes back with his, "And I still can't believe you wanted to dance. Where did that come from?"

He shrugged, "It just seemed like all the other couples were having a nice time with it," he rested his forehead against hers. "And I wanted to share that with you."

A flutter of butterflies ruffled in Hinata's heart. "You really are too good for me."

"Funny," he pulled back enough to see her eyes, "I was about to say the same thing about you." He met her lips with his, paying no mind to everyone around them.

When he pulled away, he gazed into her eyes, until suddenly noticing a silver blur not far behind her on the outskirts of the crowd. A frown tugged at his mouth as he darted his eyes towards it, getting Hinata's attention.

"What is it?" she asked, looking over her shoulder. She let out a short gasp when she saw a small silver robot rolling outside of the dance floor. "It's the same thing from earlier."

Riku whipped his attention back to Hinata, "You've seen it before?"

Before Hinata could respond, he withdrew his hands from her and weaved through the dancers with Hinata not far behind, yet whatever they had spotted was no longer there when they reached it. Riku frowned as he spun around, not seeing the silver robot anywhere inside the restaurant. Letting out a breath, Riku reached back and grabbed Hinata's hand, leading to the front of the restaurant so he could pay the tab and leave.

As they reached the pier once again, Riku kept looking around for the robot. Hinata remained quiet, also keeping an eye out as her gut twanged with worry.

"You said you saw it before?" Riku stopped walking and turned towards her.

She nodded, "Yeah, at least I thought so. It was shortly after you bought me my necklace." She ran her free hand along it as she explained. "It came rolling towards me and I had to step out of the way really quick. I looked behind me after it passed, but it was gone. I thought I was seeing things."

Riku's hand tightened around her, "There aren't any robots on this world. At least none that I've ever seen."

"Do you think it's something from another world, following us?" she asked, her heart tightening at the question.

"I don't know…" he admitted, letting out a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe we should head back to the mansion-"

"Wait, not yet," she pleaded, placing her other hand along his arm. "Let's just stay out for a little bit longer, take a walk on the beach or something. If something seems off we can teleport back right away."

Riku frowned as he looked around. The stars had come out of hiding as the sun had officially bid farewell. The moon was full and bright, lighting the sandy beach perfectly without the need for lanterns. The previous bustle from only an hour before had mostly dispersed as nightfall had come and many people were returning to their homes. Riku chewed the inside of his cheek as he mulled it over, eventually gazing back at Hinata's begging eyes that made him crumble.

"Alright…" he resigned, half-smiling as Hinata wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek in appreciation. "But if anything seems off, I'm bringing you back to the mansion."

"That's fine," she nodded, unable to hide the giddiness in her voice. "I'm just thankful for a little more time with you out here."

"Well, then, come on," he smirked, motioning his head towards the beach.

They walked towards a set of stone stairs that led from the pier down to the sand below. Hinata stopped at the base of the steps and took a moment to take off her heels. She held them in her free hand as she stepped onto the cool sand, feeling it sift beneath her toes. Riku interlaced his fingers with hers as they walked along the beach. The wind had picked up, causing waves to crash against the shore. Their familiar sounds created the perfect ambience to their moonlit stroll.

Hinata looked out at the water, absently watching the waves as she caressed her thumb along Riku's hand against hers. Taking in a breath of the salty-tinged air, she spoke up, "I've been thinking about everything you told me about Prydain…"

"Yeah?" he asked somewhat distracted as he kept glancing around for anything suspicious.

"Yeah," she nodded as she looked over and smiled sweetly at him. "I'm really proud of you."

He paused his search for a moment and brought his gaze to hers, a small frown on his face. "Proud of me? For what?"

"For everything you did," she clarified, lightly nudging his shoulder with hers. "The moment you heard about the Horned King's return, you were determined to set things right. No one told you that you had to do it or that it was expected of you, but you did it anyways. And not only that, you proved to Eilonwy and Taran that you changed, making things right with them, too."

"Huh," Riku smirked in response, looking towards the path in front of them. "They might not have asked me to do it, but it was still my responsibility. They wouldn't have even been in that situation in the first place if it wasn't for me…" He let out a long breath before adding, "But, it does feel sort of nice knowing I made up for some of the mistakes I made back then. I kind of wish I could do that for all the worlds I screwed up."

"Maybe we can someday," she suggested, giving his hand a light squeeze.

Riku smiled as he replied softly, "I'd like that." He brought up their clasped hands to his lips, planting a soft kiss on her knuckles.

A blush warmed her cheeks as she smiled from his gesture. She looked towards him and opened her mouth to say something in reply, but suddenly noticed a pair of glowing eyes out of the corner of her sight. With a gasp, she whipped her head towards the eyes, seeing them attached to the same silver robot they had been seeing the whole night. It watched them from behind a wooden column underneath the pier. She abruptly stopped walking, getting Riku's attention.

"What is it?" he asked, turning around to where she was looking. He scowled when he also spotted the eyes.

"It's that robot thing again…" Hinata whispered to him, keeping her eyes trained on it.

With a wisp of his hand, Riku surrounded them with a black mist and they reappeared under the pier, right behind the robot. It hadn't yet noticed them behind it as it looked left and right in confusion. Its head was a square shape with a long platform coming off the back of it. Two metal prongs made up its thin neck, attaching to a crescent chest that met with a half spherical bottom. Its two thin arms were wrapped around the log it hid behind, as if trying to keep itself balanced on the uneven sand.

With an unexpected accented voice, it spoke up, "They just disappeared in a cloud of smoke! Bane won't be happy about this…"

Riku's hand clenched into a tight fist at the mention of Bane's name and releasing Hinata's hand, he reached forward and yanked up on the robot's back, making it yelp in surprise. Spinning it around, he slammed its back against the log column, glaring into its tiny glowing eyes.

"Who are you?" he demanded of the robot. Holding up his other hand, he summoned a Dark Firaga. "Answer me!"

"Riku!" Hinata gasped, grabbing his arm.

"Let me handle this," he ordered, without tearing his gaze from the robot.

"Alright, alright!" the robot held up his thin hands in front of his face for protection, "I am Todo 360, a techno service droid-"

"Why were you following us?" Riku interjected.

"Oh, well I was..." Todo glanced around, momentarily scratching his head, "checking the integrity of the-"

"Don't lie to me!" Riku growled. "You've been following us all night! How did you know where we were?"

"You're not that hard to track, you know," a raspy, rumbling voice spoke up, getting their attention. They looked over to see Cad Bane emerging from behind another wooden column.

"Bane," Riku muttered the name under his breath, darting his gaze to Hinata as she slowly backed away from the unfamiliar man.

"There you are," Todo spoke with a hint of relief, "I was wonder- Wait, what are you doing?"

Bane held up his forearm in front of him, pressing a button on a small control board attached to him. A bright electrical surge erupted from Todo's body, making him yell out in frightened pain. Riku tried to release him, but the current travelled instantly, electrifying him. Blue sparks and bolts covered his body as he cried out and shook. Hinata brought her hands to her mouth, holding back a scream. She ran over, but was unable to touch him until both him and Todo fell unconscious to the sand.

"Oh, my God!" Hinata gasped as she frantically turned Riku to be on his back, ignoring Bane as he watched the scene with a smirk. "Riku!" She placed her hands along the sides of his face, desperately trying to wake him up, but with no result. She glared up at Bane and cried, "What did you do to him?!"

Taking a step forward, he readied his hands around his pistols holsters. "I just incapacitated him so I could finish my job."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she slowly stood back up. Keeping her hands clenched at her sides, she looked him over and asked, "I take it you're Cad Bane?"

Bane's cracked blue lips smirked as he tipped the round rim of his hat.

"H-how did you find me?" she asked him, making sure to step back whenever he took a step towards her.

A low chuckle escaped him as he motioned towards Riku's unconscious body. "You can thank your friends for that."

Hinata quickly darted her eyes between Bane and Riku. "So… You followed them after your first encounter on the Organization's world?" When Bane wordlessly nodded, she continued to surmise. "Then you figured out a way to track them and followed until they eventually brought me with them…?"

"Not bad," he complimented her, holding out his hands. "It's a good guess, I'll give you that."

"But that doesn't explain how you knew we were here," she pointed out. "There's no way you just guessed we'd be here."

"I can't reveal all my secrets," he told her adjusting his hat. "That'd just ruin the fun."

Begrudgingly accepting his answer, she then asked, "Do you know what the Organization wants me for?" As she spoke, she scanned her eyes over him, taking note of any obvious weapons.

He shrugged, "As long as I get paid, I don't ask questions."

She scoffed and shook her head, "Just like any bounty hunter, I guess…" She noticed Bane beginning to circle around her, and she began to do the same, matching his pace. Taking in a sharp breath, she felt the ocean water around them and her tattoo dimly glowed in response. "You really think you can just take me, right now?"

Bane chuckled, "Shouldn't be hard. You're without your weapons and protection." He once again motioned towards Riku unconscious in the sand.

A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of Hinata's mouth as she stopped walking. "I'm guessing the Organization didn't tell you much about me."

Bane stopped walking as well, eyeing Hinata at her new found confidence before suddenly hearing the sound of running water behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a floating stream of water spiralling towards him. Without hesitation, he pressed another button on his arm, lighting two blue flaming jet packs under his feet and lifting into the air. The water, however, wrapped around his legs regardless of the dodge, fizzing out the flames and flinging him into the side of the pier as if he were a rag doll. He flopped onto the sand as the water seeped back into the ground, but quickly recovered, rolling back to his feet with a growl.

Hinata kept her gaze fixed with his, while outstretching her hand towards the ocean, feeling its moisture seeping into her and refilling her power. From it, orbs of water came flying towards her, spinning around her before she flung them towards Bane. He managed to dodge most of them, rolling and jumping out of their way, but the last one hit its mark, making him skid back a few feet in the sand. He sputtered and wiped the water away, bringing out his pistol and firing a single shot. Hinata saw the impending bright red laser and tried to step aside in time, but cried out when the hot plasma grazed past her shoulder. She fell to her knees, grasping the burnt skin on her shoulder as she watched Bane approach through her blurred vision.

Taking in a deep breath, she tightly shut her eyes and summoned as much water as she could muster, surrounding herself with it in a strong spinning current. She could see Bane stop right outside her small protective barrier and her heart began to pound in her ears. Swallowing hard, she held out her hands, making the water conglomerate into a single stream and launched it towards Bane.

His large, red eyes widened at the sight and he jumped out of the way, yet the stream followed him as it had before. It covered the bottom half of his body, pinning his arms to his side as Hinata stood up. She glared up at him, ignoring the spiking pain in her shoulder as her tattoo glowed brilliantly. Bane wriggled in the water's hold, unable to escape and he glowered back down at her. A smirk appeared on Hinata's face right before she spun around, moving the water with her, and shot it out into the ocean, sending a yelling Bane along with it. She fell forward as the magic fled her body, but kept her eyes trained on Bane as he splashed into the sea, barely the size of an ant from where she was. A laugh escaped her once he was gone, despite the situation. She clenched her hands in the sand, feeling the moisture inside go into her, slowly regaining her strength.

Through the ringing in her ears, she could hear the few people that remained up above on the pier. They were frightened and murmuring about what had just happened, only seeing Bane flying out into the ocean by a giant spiral of water. Hinata sat back up, listening to their worries in silence as she came up with her own.

"We were barely out for a few hours…" she eventually whispered to no one in particular. "How could he have found us…?"

Letting out a breath, she looked over to Riku, her heart lurching at the sight of seeing him still unconscious. With a slight groan of pain, as her shoulder continually reminded her of her injury, she pushed herself to crawl over to him. She laid his head on her lap and pushed his hair out of his face before she glanced up at Todo. Every so often, another blue spark would jump across his silver body, hinting to Hinata that he would still shock her if she were to touch him. Riku suddenly twitched, catching Hinata's attention.

"Riku," she softly said his name, placing her hand on the side of his face. "Riku, are you alright?"

He frowned as he slowly began to stir, and lifted his hand to his throbbing head. After a few seconds, he asked in weak, shaking voice, "W-what happened?"

Hinata let out a breath of relief as a smile appeared on her face. "You're alright. We're safe now. Bane's gone."

"He...is?" Riku sat up, looking around as his blurred vision cleared. He winced as his head twanged with pain.

"I don't think the Organization told him about my water powers," she informed him.

Riku looked out at the ocean, trying to grasp what had just happened. His eyes narrowed as he saw something suddenly shoot out of the water. It appeared to be a man with glowing blue flames coming out of his feet, that was flying straight towards them. His eyes widened as he realized it was Bane. Reaching back, he grasped Hinata's arm and, despite his weariness, wisped a Corridor around them, teleporting them back to the mansion.


	40. Beginning of the End

Chapter 40

* Recap: Sam and Riku have returned to Twilight Town from their mission in Prydain. After defeating the Horned King and rescuing Hen Wen, they were finally able to see their respective visions. Neither of the visions were what they were expecting, but gave both of them much to think about.

Upon returning to Twilight Town, Riku gets Hinata and takes her out on a surprise date to the beach. While there, they realize they are being followed by a small robot. They confront the robot and learn it belongs to none other than Cad Bane, the bounty hunter that was assigned by the Organization to retrieve Hinata. With Riku rendered unconscious, Hinata manages to fend off the bounty hunter with her water powers. She plummets him into the ocean and awakens Riku, but as he wakes, he sees Bane flying back towards them from the sea. In a quick move, he teleports himself and Hinata away to the safety of the mansion. *

Hinata whipped her head around in confusion before realizing they were back at the mansion, sitting in the middle of their room. With Riku's trembling hand clasped tight around Hinata's arm and his breaths heavy, she could feel his racing pulse through his palm, and brought her worried gaze to his downcast face as she placed her hand over his. He stared down at the floor, noticing the clumps of sand caked to their clothes dusting into the carpet. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his heart as it twisted inside his chest.

"Riku…" Hinata's soft hesitant voice brought him out of his thoughts.

Opening his eyes, he turned to look at her. Her golden eyes looked back at him, filled with worry. Her once perfectly styled hair stuck to her skin, wet with sweat and water from her scuffle with Bane. Forcing a strained smile, he lifted his hand and pushed back the few strands of her hair that were obstructing her eyes, before leaning forward and meeting her lips with his.

He rested his forehead against hers once he broke their kiss and swept his hand to behind her neck, sliding his thumb along her skin. His eyes were shut tight as a lump formed in his throat. Hinata ran her hand along his arm, letting out a shaking breath.

"I-" she broke the silence, her voice trembling. "I'm so... sorry, Riku…" Her voice wavered as she brought her hand to her face, attempting to hide the tears dripping down her face. "I… I should've listened to you, and come back here when we had the chance…Seeing you unconscious like that, I-" Her tear-stained voice broke and a faint cry escaped from within her.

"Are you hurt?" he asked with a soft voice, leaning back just far enough to see her face. He brushed away her tears with his hand, a slight smile perking at the corner of his lips as she leaned into his touch, but it disappeared when she wouldn't meet her eyes with his. "Hinata…?"

"Um…" she closed her eyes as she spoke, trying to keep the quiver in her voice under control. "M-my shoulder…"

She kept her eyes closed as she felt Riku pull back to look, swallowing hard when she also felt his grip around her arm tighten. Along her right shoulder was a thick stripe of singed skin-the entire area feverishly red, mixed with deep hues of purples and greens. Riku's breath caught in his throat the moment he saw it. Without saying a word, he let go of her arm and hovered his hand above the burn, emanating a green mist that seeped into her.

Hinata took in a sharp breath from the sensation: a burning pain that felt as if needles were digging inside of her. She clenched her teeth, keeping her eyes shut tight as her heart rate accelerated. Trying to distract herself, she spoke up, "Heh, t-this is a lot more painful… than I remember."

Riku ran his thumb along the back of her neck, trying to soothe her. "You haven't been this hurt in a while," he reminded her with a grave tone in his voice. He brought his eyes to her, his heart wrenching as he saw her struggling to remain composed, forcing him to look away. He instead focused on her shoulder reforming with new skin. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you…" He noticed Hinata shaking her head, but continued. "I thought I'd be able to… no matter what. But, I wasn't. And I'm sorry."

"Riku," she opened her eyes and looked up at him, tears glistening on her cheeks, "please, don't." She took in a sharp breath, trying to ignore the pain from the mist. "Don't blame yourself, please. Neither of us could have known Bane would show up."

"I shouldn't have taken the risk," he retorted as he clenched his hand closed, ceasing the mist. He placed his hand back down over hers, clasping it in his.

"Don't say that," she squeezed his hand in hers. "Tonight was one of the best nights I've had in a long time, regardless of what happened at the end."

Riku shook his head. "I just don't get it… How did he find us?"

"I don't know…" she admitted, running her free hand along her healed shoulder. "He said he followed you and Sam back to Twilight Town after your first fight with him." Riku looked up at her as she continued to explain. "But… that doesn't really explain how he could have known you and I were at the beach. And why wouldn't he have just broken into the mansion to take me if he knew where I was already?" Taking in a shaking breath, she looked away and felt a chill run through her. "Has he just been watching me this entire time?"

Riku downcasted his gaze to their hands, his mind swirling with thoughts. He ran his thumb along her hand, brushing away a few beads of sand that clung to her skin. Bringing his gaze back to her face, he looked her over, noticing all the sand mixed in her hair and on her dress.

His eyes darted back down to their hands as he broke the silence. "I don't know how he found us, but I do know one thing…" He brought his gaze back up to meet her. "I'm not letting him or anyone in the Organization take you. Ever." He shook his head as he brought back his hand from her neck and clasped her other hand in his. "We've made it through so much together and I'm not about to let them take that away from us."

Hinata tried to smile back, but couldn't help her expression from falling back into a frown. "What are we supposed to do to stop them?" she asked with a quiver still apparent in her voice.

"After Sora wakes up, we're going after Bane," Riku informed her with a firm yet almost excited voice.

"Wh-what?" she squeaked as her eyes widened.

"We'll get Sora to help us," he told her, squeezing her hands in his. "We're all supposed to be best friends, so I know he's going to be willing to."

"But what about the Organization? The worlds that need Sora's help?" Hinata blurted out. "We can't just put all of that on hold just so we can take down-"

"I'm done making you wait around in fear that he'll find you," he interrupted. "I can't keep you trapped here forever, so let's take the fight to him. After we take down Bane, we'll help Sora go after the Organization." He paused and looked at her for a moment, before asking, "Alright?"

She swallowed hard as she nodded, new tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Without warning, she pulled back her hands from his before lunging forward, wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you…" she whispered to him, her voice muffled against his neck.

Riku smiled as he hugged her in return and planted a loving kiss on her shoulder. "Yeah," he whispered back, running his hand along her back in a soothing motion. "I love you."

A short breathy laugh escaped her as her arms tightened around him. "I love you, too."

They stayed in each other's embrace for a peaceful moment until Riku slid his hands to her shoulders, gently pushing her back so he could see her face. Her cheeks were still reddened from her tears, but she looked up at him with a sweet smile. He smirked back as he leaned forward, meeting their lips together for a loving kiss.

A sudden knock on the door made them break apart with reluctance. Hinata gave him one last kiss, before pushing herself to her feet and making her way to the door. She blinked in surprise when she saw Ben standing outside their room.

His eyes brightened when he saw her. "Hinata! It's good to see you!" he greeted as he reached forward and grabbed her hand with his thin metal ones. "I can't wait to show you the visions! You're gonna love it!"

Hinata's smile grew as she chuckled, "I'm really excited to see them, too. Is that why you're here?"

A tint of blue casted over his eyes as he let out a wistful sigh, "Sadly no. I'm actually here under orders from DiZ."

"DiZ?" Riku repeated the name as he walked up beside Hinata, placing his hand along the small of her back. He opened the door wider so he could see Ben in the hallway. "What are the orders?"

"He wanted me to come get you, actually," Ben explained, pointing one of his fingers at Riku. "Says he has a lot he needs to talk to you about."

Hinata's skin paled as her breath caught. Riku looked over at her with his eyebrows furrowed. She noticed his glance and let out a breath, "It's… probably about Xion."

Riku frowned as he looked back to Ben and nodded, "Alright, I'll be right there. I just need to get cleaned up first."

"Sure thing!" Ben saluted before turning to leave. "I'll be waiting at the library whenever you're ready!"

"Thanks, Ben," Riku spoke before closing the door. He looked over at Hinata, noticing her fidgeting with her hair as she kept her eyes averted from his. "I'm guessing things didn't go well with Xion?"

Hinata shook her head, "No… Not at all." She brought her gaze back up to him. "I can tell you everything if you want."

Taking in a deep breath, he shook his head, "No, it's fine. I'm about to hear it from DiZ, anyways." He ran a hand through his hair. "Guess it's time to get back to reality, huh?"

"Yeah…" she replied with a solemn tone in her voice, averting her gaze back to the door.

Riku leaned forward and kissed her temple. "I'm going to get cleaned up. You should go talk to Sam while I'm with DiZ."

She nodded without replying, watching as he went to their wardrobe and pulled out a new outfit. Her gaze fell to the carpet, covered with loose sand from their time on the beach. As Riku disappeared in the bathroom to clean up, she went to the wardrobe and pulled through the clothes in the drawers, choosing a comfortable set. Tossing the clean clothes on the bed, she unzipped her dress and slinked out of it. She pulled on her black pants and a coral long-sleeved shirt with shoulder cutouts before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Her hands worked to undo the braid in her hair. She could feel the coarse grains of sand tangled within it, making her frown. "I guess I'll take a quick shower before I head over to Sam," she mumbled to herself, placing her hands back down in her lap and staring down at them.

Within the next few minutes, Riku emerged from the bathroom, towel drying his wet hair. Hinata looked up and smiled when she saw him, taking notice of his olive-green long sleeved shirt.

"I've always liked green on you," she noted as she stood to meet him.

He chuckled as he tossed the damp towel in the cloth hamper by their desk. "You say that about every color I wear."

"Maybe you just happen to look good in everything," Hinata countered, a smirk teasing her lips, before falling away to a frown as she approached him. She placed her hands along his chest and looked up at him. "I… wanted to thank you again for tonight. Despite everything that happened near the end, it was wonderful."

"Yeah," he agreed with a breathy laugh, "it was pretty great, wasn't it?"

She strained a smile and nodded in return, before bringing her gaze to her hands resting upon his chest.

"Hey," he spoke with a soft voice, getting her attention. "Everything's going to be fine, alright? Whatever happened with Xion, I can take it."

"I know…" she admitted, letting out a sigh as she placed her hands back down at her sides. "I just wish things could just go the way we planned for once."

"I know what you mean," he let out a breath of his own and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you soon."

He sent her another smile before turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind him. He made his way to the main foyer, feeling the crisp cold air from the vast empty room. Barely any light shined through the glass windows; only the soft illumination from the moon gave a rare glow to the foyer. Riku took in a deep breath, immediately regretting it as he coughed from the dust.

He went up the stairs towards the library and opened the door, spotting Ben leaning against the wall, reading a book. Ben's eyes immediately lit up when he saw Riku and he closed the book with a single hand.

"All ready to see DiZ, Riku?" Ben asked, skipping to replace the book to its place on the shelf.

Riku nodded, straightening one of his sleeves. "Yeah, let's go."

He followed Ben as they descended the metal stairs, leading down towards the lab. Riku then took in a deep breath as he pressed the large button beside the door, allowing it to slide open. Ben waltzed into the dark room first, for once being silent as he stopped in the center of the room and clasped his metal hands in front of him. Riku walked in with a bit of hesitance, noticing a thick tension in the air as the computer monitors casted a blue hue upon every corner of the room. A faint yet constant clicking of a keyboard could be heard from where a black silhouette sat in front of the display of screens. As Riku stopped beside Ben, he cleared his throat to get DiZ's attention.

When DiZ didn't say anything, Riku broke the silence. "You… wanted to see me?"

DiZ stopped his typing and sighed. Without turning to face the duo, he replied. "I am becoming increasingly aware of your lack of dedication to our cause."

Riku frowned, his eyebrows narrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Working behind my back and conspiring plans to awaken Sora by your own means, without awaiting my orders," DiZ clarified, his voice stern and slow. "I expected this behavior from Sam and even Hinata." He turned his chair to face Riku and continued, "I am, however, surprised by you... I had thought you were dedicated to awakening Sora as soon as possible."

"I am," Riku replied a bit curtly, before clearing his throat when he noticed DiZ's glare narrow from his tone. He shifted his weight between his feet, noticing Ben darting his gaze between them from the corner of his eye. "I just thought it would be best to take care of Xion myself. I wasn't trying to cause any trouble."

"Yet you went missing for three weeks on a meaningless venture, without so much as asking permission or informing me where you would be going." DiZ pointed out, his fingers drumming along the chair's armrests.

"If you knew I was gone, why didn't you call me and tell me to come back?" Riku asked, crossing his arms.

"Because I wanted to trust your judgment," DiZ admitted. "You've been devoted to awakening Sora since you came here. And if things had worked in your favor with that puppet, I might have been commending you-"

"What went wrong?" he interjected. "Hinata wouldn't even talk about it."

"Uh," Ben spoke up, making both Riku and DiZ look over at him. He cleared his mechanical throat and asked, "Should I wait outside for this?"

"We will reach the purpose of you being in here in a moment," DiZ waved Ben off, making him fall back silence before looking back to Riku. "When you brought that puppet to the mansion, you were followed," DiZ clasped his hands in his lap.

"Followed?" Riku repeated, uncrossing his arms as he stepped forward. "By who? I made sure there was no one around."

"Did anyone in the Organization ever see you with Xion?"

Riku paused, downcasting his eyes for a moment as he recalled, "Well… yeah. Once…" He looked back up when he heard DiZ sigh.

"Once they realized she was with you, it was only a matter of time until they would be able to track her down," DiZ explained, shaking his head as he added. "Which is something I would have been able to warn you about if I had been told of your endeavors."

Riku bit the inside of his cheek from his words, holding back a snide remark. Taking in a deep breath to calm a rising tension in his throat, he then asked, "How would they be able to track her?"

"To put it simply, your Corridors," DiZ motioned his hands towards him. "They already know we are based in Twilight Town, so all they needed to do was follow any Corridors in the area and it would eventually lead to you."

Bringing his hand to his chin, Riku muttered under his breath, "That could explain how Bane found us…"

"Bane?" DiZ repeated the name. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah..." Riku rubbed the back of his neck, averting his gaze. "I took Hinata to the beach a few hours ago," he could hear DiZ grumble in disapproval, "and we saw Bane there."

"I assume Hinata made it back here safely?" DiZ asked with a sigh. When Riku nodded, DiZ rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I am sure you understand the error of your decision to take her out of the mansion, so I shall refrain from reminding you."

"I appreciate that," Riku replied with a quiet voice, running his hand along his opposite arm. "I was actually thinking, though, that after we wake up Sora…" He paused, his voice trailing off as he took in a deep breath. He stood up tall, gathering his confidence before finishing, "I'm going to take Hinata and we're going after Bane ourselves."

DiZ fell silent in surprise, leaning back in his seat and clasping his hands, once again, on his lap. After a few moments, he spoke, "Very well…" He met his gaze with Riku's. "Hinata has already informed me that she will no longer work with me after Sora awakens. So, you are welcomed to do as you wish."

"She did?" Riku asked, crossing his arms. "When did she do that?"

"It was shortly after you brought Xion to the mansion and led the Organization to our front door," DiZ informed him, taking notice of Riku shaking his head and no doubt rolling his eyes under his sash. "Hinata had attempted to distract me while Namine spoke with the puppet, but once I realized what was transpiring, I also discovered a series of Corridors leading to the mansion." He turned his chair back towards his desk and continued typing away as he continued. "Hinata retrieved her weapons and was ready to confront the invaders, but I stopped her."

"What about Xion?"

"I informed her that she was leading the enemy to our doorstep and she went out herself to confront Axel."

"Axel?" Riku repeated the name. "He just follows us everywhere… I take it he took Xion back?" When DiZ only nodded in return, he groaned and ran his hand over his face. "Great… Do we know where she is now?"

"Back on the Organization Homeworld, no doubt," DiZ replied. "Given her origin of being a Replica, I would not be surprised if the Organization is rerouting her mind to fit their own agenda."

Shaking his head with a scowl and a grumble, Riku turned around and paced to the back of the room before turning back and asking with an exasperated tone. "So basically, back to square one?"

"This could have been prevented if-"

"I get it, alright?" Riku cut him off with aggravation obvious in his voice as he held out his hand. "I thought I could handle it…" He ran his hand through his hair and let out a long breath, trying to simmer down his frustration. "So… What now?"

"Now we wait for Roxas." DiZ spun his chair around to face him. "If anything worthwhile came out of your venture with Xion, it was that her disappearance had a significant effect on Roxas. His behaviour is becoming erratic and I believe he is beginning to question the Organization's motives. If this continues, he will stray away from their protection and we will be able to retrieve him ourselves."

Riku thought it over before nodding, "Alright. Let me know when that is. I'll be ready."

"Indeed you will be," DiZ agreed. "Until then, I am ceasing all other missions. This takes priority."

Riku frowned but didn't say anything in response.

Ben cleared his throat once again as he walked forward, "Uh, DiZ, Sir, you told me we'd be getting to why you called me in here-"

DiZ let out a breath as he looked over at Ben and smiled, "Indeed, you are right. Sam informed me that you recorded the visions you saw from the oracular pig."

Ben's eyes lit up as he jumped up straight, "Sure did! You wanna see them?"

"It's, uh-" Riku stepped forward, holding out his hand towards Ben to stop him. "It wasn't exactly what we were expecting. It didn't show anything useful for Hinata, at least nothing that could help in our situation right now."

"If you decided to risk taking her out of her confinement to the mansion," DiZ looked back towards him with a small smile, "I would imagine it was helpful enough."

"Sort of," Riku rubbed the back of his neck, watching Ben walk forward.

His heart raced as he saw Ben's eyes illuminate like spotlights, bringing up a hologram of the vision. A warmth spread through his face as he looked between the vision and DiZ. A part of him wanted to stop him from seeing it, but he couldn't bring himself to interfere. Swallowing hard, he watched the vision play out, not feeling as immersed as he had when he had first seen it beside Hen Wen, yet it still made the butterflies in his heart flutter in a frenzy. As it reached the last segment in the forest, Riku looked up towards DiZ and felt a confused frown tug down on his face when he noticed the slightest glimmer of tears in his uncovered eye.

Ben's eyes flickered, making the hologram disappear once the vision was over. DiZ turned his chair back towards his desk. He was silent and still as Ben began to speak.

"Wasn't that great?" Ben's cheery voice chimed, trying to get past the previous frustration in the room. "Everything's going to turn out alright! Don't you think?"

An awkward tension rose as Ben's cheerfulness was only met with silence. Ben lowered his arms back down to his sides and scuffled back to be beside Riku, his eyes downcast. Riku looked between DiZ and Ben, his cheeks were still flushed from embarrassment that he had shared the vision with someone other than Hinata.

After an entire minute of silence passed, DiZ spoke up with a low quiet voice, "Both of you may go…"

Ben and Riku exchanged a look of complete confusion. "Oh, alright…" Riku turned to leave. "Let me know when you hear anything about Roxas…"

DiZ remained silent, returning to continue typing as they left. Riku frowned as the door to the lab slid closed behind them.

"What was that about?" he asked with his arms crossed, slowing his walk to a stop near the bottom of the stairs.

"Maybe I was too excited about the vision," Ben suggested with a wistful sigh. "I know he doesn't like my cheeriness very much."

Riku half-smiled and patted his hand on Ben's shoulder. "I think you were fine, Ben. I"m glad you're excited about it, at least."

"Aren't you?" Ben asked, following Riku up the steps.

"Still trying to wrap my mind around it," Riku admitted, glancing around at the books in the library as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Sort of wish it could have shown something in the immediate future, too."

"Yeah," Ben let out another wistful sigh, "Makes you wonder if the vision only showed you nice things way in the far future because there isn't anything nice going to happen anytime soon, you know?"

Riku stopped walking, his stomach twisting. "That's what I'm worried about."

Ben stopped and waved his hands. "Oh! Look at me running my mouth, I'm sure that's not the case!" He skipped back to Riku and patted him on his back. "Everything's fine! Hinata's safe, you're safe, I'm safe, and together we'll all be fine!"

"Heh," Riku chuckled. "Yeah, maybe."

"And once that Sora fella joins the crew, we'll be unstoppable!" Ben added before walking on ahead and opening the door leading back into the mansion. "Just you wait and see." He sent Riku a big grin.

Riku smiled back. "You know, Ben, sometimes you aren't too bad." He noticed Ben's eyes brighten and reiterated, "Sometimes."

"Well, right back at ya," Ben sent him some finger guns with a laugh. He turned and ran out to the foyer of the mansion, calling behind him. "Oh, wait until I tell Jack about this!"

With a roll of his eyes and a smirk at the corner of his lips, Riku continued up the stairs and gave one last look towards the lab before heading back out to the foyer. He glanced out the window that overlooked the garden and ship. The moon and stars were shining brilliantly, not a single cloud in the sky to obstruct them. The flowers swayed in the soft wind, the blossoms wrapped up for the night. Riku went down the stairs to the main floor and pushed open the glass double doors, being met with the sweet aroma from the garden. He walked with a slow step, gazing at each of the flower beds as he thought over everything he had talked over with DiZ. Stopping in front of a bed of daisies, he knelt down and examined a single white daisy. Unlike all the flowers around it that were closed up, it was in full bloom. Reaching out, he plucked the daisy from the others, twirling the stem in between his fingers as he continued on his way to the ship.

"There you are," Hinata's soft voice caught his attention.

He looked forward to see her coming down the metal walkway with a careful step. His smile grew as he looked her over, noticing her hair freely falling down her back. Holding out his hand, he greeted her with the bloomed daisy he had picked.

"Oh!" she beamed, taking the daisy from him and giving it a small whif. "Thank you."

Riku took it back from her, to her surprise, and placed it in her hair behind her right ear. He admired it for a moment before looking back to her face. "Yeah," he smirked. "Are you done talking with Sam?"

"Oh, yeah, mostly," she answered as she ran her hand along the petals of the flower in her hair, her cheeks warming. "She had been telling me about her vision before Ben came running down saying you guys were done talking with DiZ." She shrugged, "So, I decided to come out to look for you."

"Did Ben show you her vision?" he asked, running his hands along her arms.

"Not yet," she shook her head, "I can barely believe her dad's alive, though. After all this time thinking he was gone... He's safe and she knows she's going to find him. It's no wonder she wants to go back to Montressor." She looked away as a somber smile appeared on her face. "I'm happy for her."

"But you're going to miss her," Riku surmised, seeing her nod in response.

"Yeah," she agreed with a sigh. "She was on a call with James when I was there. He wants her to come back to Montressor right away, but she isn't sure."

"Ah," Riku sighed as well. "Well, I guess we'll see what happens. Did you want to go back to finish talking with her?"

"Sort of, but she's going to be on the phone with James for a while and then she still needs to call Jim." She looked back up at him and continued, "So I think she could use some time alone to discuss everything with them."

"Yeah," he agreed, clasping their hands together.

"How did the talk with DiZ go?" she asked with a slow voice, a frown tugging at the corner of her mouth.

He looked down at their hands and shrugged, "Alright, I guess… He wasn't too happy about everything I did with Xion and is a bit bitter. But," he brought his gaze back up to hers, "he approved of our plan to go after Bane when Sora wakes up. And he said he's not letting any of us go on any more missions until we can get Roxas, so-"

"Wait, seriously?" she interrupted. "No more missions for anyone?"

"Yeah," he replied with a small chuckle. "It bothered me at first, but that means I'll be able to spend time with you here and keep you company," he spoke with a smile. "So, I'm sort of looking forward to it."

She smiled back, "Me, too." She looked down at their hands and gave his a squeeze as she let out a breath. "Are you upset about Xion?"

"A bit…" he admitted. "But, it wasn't your fault. I should have been more careful about making sure I wasn't being followed."

"Don't blame yourself," she looked back up at him with a frown.

"Well it's true," he laughed, "but thanks." He looked her over for a moment before adding, "I'm sort of glad DiZ didn't let you go out there to fight Axel, though."

Hinata sighed, "Yeah, Namine said you'd say that… That's why I tried calling you and Sam. But the call wouldn't go through."

"I know," he pushed some of her hair behind her ear, "but enough about all that. There isn't anything we can do about it now." When Hinata met her gaze back with his, a sweet smile appeared on his face. "I'd rather let you see that vision, finally."

A grin immediately appeared on her face as she did a single hop in excitement, chiming, "Yes please!"

Riku slung his head down as he laughed, "You are so adorable, sometimes."

"Wha-" she began to object before she was cut off as Riku met her lips with his for a short kiss.

"Come on," he whispered to her as he pulled away and led her towards the ship.

Hinata giggled as she followed him through the garden and up the walkway to the deck. She placed her hand along her stomach, feeling the butterflies inside ruffling with nerves and anticipation. She wasn't sure what she was about to see or what to expect, but the way Riku smiled back at her as he glanced over his shoulder made all her worries wisp away. Riku released her hand once they were up on the deck, saying something about needing to retrieve Ben, but he was cut off as Hinata tugged on his shirt and gave him an unexpected kiss.

"What was that for?" Riku laughed under his breath once she pulled away. "You haven't even seen the vision yet."

"I'm just excited," she admitted with another giggle, "I know it's going to be great."

He smirked in response, stepping back from her and heading towards the stairs that led below deck, calling back to her, "Wait here, I'll be right back."

She quickly nodded, clasping her hands in front of her to keep herself from fidgeting with nerves. Her foot tapped repeatedly as she looked up at the starry sky, trying to focus on them as she waited for Riku to return. She didn't have to wait long, as within a minute, she could hear Ben's cheerful voice as he ascended the stairs beside Riku.

"You finally get to see, Hinata!" Ben jumped up, running towards her and clasping her hands in his. "I've been waiting for it all day!"

She laughed, "Yeah, me, too." She looked up as Riku came up beside her, wrapping his arm around her. He sent her a sweet yet somewhat nervous smile. Hinata returned the expression, placing her hand over his. "I'm ready."

Ben's eyes flickered in response, bringing up the hologram. Hinata watched intently, squeezing Riku's hand when she appeared in the vision. A lump began forming in her throat as it played on, and she took in a sharp breath when she saw Kairi running to embrace her. Riku moved over and hugged her from behind, planting a small kiss on the side of her head as the recording swirled to the second part of the vision.

Hinata ran her hands along his arms as she commented, "I wonder what's happening here? If King Mickey's there, it must be something important."

"Yeah," Riku replied with a quiet voice, his pulse quickening as he waited for what was going to come next.

"And I seem really proud of you," she added, giving his arm a squeeze. "I bet it's something great."

Riku smiled, but remained silent, unable to talk as his stomach twisted in anticipation. The vision swirled to reveal the forest scene and Riku swallowed hard, tensing up as he watched. Hinata's breath caught as she saw herself sitting with the young girl, braiding her hair. The little girl had her hands in her lap as her bright teal eyes stared up at the sky with a small smile on her round face.

"She's beautiful…!" Hinata let out a soft cry, clasping her hands together in front of her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Her heart swelled as she stared at her daughter, feeling Riku tighten his arms around her as emotion overwhelmed her.

"There's more," he whispered to her, his voice slightly quivering as his own heart filled with emotion.

He heard Hinata gasp when the toddler boy came into view, tumbling into her arms in the vision. She sniffled, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared in complete silence. The hologram flickered away as the vision ended and Hinata stared blankly at where it once was.

Ben looked between the couple, fighting the urge to blurt out something. Instead, he shuffled back and escaped below deck to give them some privacy. Once he was gone, Hinata took in a shaking breath. She turned around with a hesitant step, looking up at Riku. He looked back at her with a soft smile on his face as he took in a deep breath, for once thankful for the black sash, as it concealed the watery sheen over his eyes.

They stared at each other for a moment, unable to find their words. Riku lifted his hand towards her face, caressing her cheek and tattoo with his thumb while wiping away her tears. Closing her eyes, Hinata leaned into his touch, feeling the heat of her tattoo as it began to shine. Swallowing hard, she looked back up at him and began to smile. The longer they held their gaze, her smile began to transform into a grin and she began to laugh. Riku looked at her in confusion for a moment before he began to laugh as well.

"Wow…" she breathed out in disbelief, a smile beaming on her tear stained face. "That… I mean, that was," she let out another short laugh as she ran her hand through her hair, "incredible!" She turned and began to pace, stopping by the ship's railing and looking out at the garden. "I can't believe it… I felt like I knew those kids, like I know who those kids are going to be." She shook her head and bit her tongue as another bout of emotion hit her throat. With a trembling, tear-stained voice, she added, "Those were our kids," she turned around to face Riku, "weren't they?"

Riku averted his gaze from hers, trying to clear his throat, but it broke into a shaking breath as he brought his hand to his face. Hinata rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him. Without hesitation, he embraced her, burying his face in her hair.

"I love you so much," he confessed, his weak voice muffled in her hair.

She smiled, hearing his racing heartbeat as her own heart swelled. "I love you, too," she whispered back, feeling his arms tighten around her.

They remained in each other's embrace, regathering their composure. Riku began running his hands along her back as he took in a deep breath, feeling new control over his emotions. He flowered a few kisses along her neck before standing back up straight, still keeping his arms around her. Hinata hummed in appreciation from his affection, her eyes closing as she listened to his comforting heartbeat.

"I never thought I would be a mom," she broke the silence after a couple minutes, her voice calmer and soft.

Riku let out a breathy laugh in response before assuring her, "You'll be great-I know it."

She pulled back from him so she could see his face. "You will be, too," she told him with a sweet smile. "Well, dad, I mean," she added with a giggle.

He smirked as he lifted one of his hands to her cheek, lacing his fingers in her hair as he met their lips together. She sighed as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

The sound of footsteps ascending the stairs caused them to break apart. Riku planted a small kiss on the tip of her nose before fully pulling away, making Hinata's cheeks warm. They looked over to see Sam appear on the deck, stretching her arms while she let out a large yawn. She startled when she saw them, letting out a small yelp before rolling her eyes when she realized who it was.

"Oh," she placed her hand over her heart before laughing, "Just you guys." Yawning once more, she asked, "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be making out in your room or something?"

Riku scoffed as he brought his hand to the bridge of his nose as Hinata's face burned from embarrassment. Sam bit her lip as she attempted to hide a smile, but then doubled over laughing.

"Damn," she clapped her hands as she struggled to recover from her laughter, "you guys are way too fun to tease." She chuckled once more, before asking, "But, seriously, what are you guys doing out here?"

"I was just showing her the vision," Riku answered as Hinata was still flustered. He put his arm around Hinata's shoulder and asked, "What about you? Shouldn't you be in bed? I thought you wanted to sleep for a week."

"I just wanted some fresh air. I just got off the phone with James," she waved off his question before addressing Hinata with a smirk, "So you finally got to see the vision, huh? What did you think?"

Hinata opened her mouth to talk, but couldn't quite find the right words. Shaking her head with a grin, she laughed under her breath before stammering out, "Um, it was, a-amazing. I'm a bit speechless, honestly."

"Yeah," Sam chuckled, crossing her arms. "I know how that goes." She scratched the back of her head, before remembering, "Oh, right! I wanted to tell you about an idea I had!"

"What?" Hinata asked.

"Back on Montressor we have these little locket trinket things," Sam held out her hands in front of her, clasping them together before opening them up. "You open them and they play a little holographic video for you." Putting her arms back down at her sides, she finished, "So, I was thinking I could try whipping up a couple of those for us-Jim could send me the blueprints-that way we can watch the visions whenever we want."

"That would be great!" Hinata chimed, looking up at Riku with a smile. "Don't you think?"

He smiled back at her and nodded, before bringing his gaze back up to Sam. "You really think you'd be able to make them?"

Sam gave him a look as she held out her mechanical arm. "Um, I made this? I'm pretty sure I can manage a couple lockets."

"Wait a sec," Hinata stepped forward, grasping Sam's arm as she examined it. "What's this?" she pointed towards the ice relic embedded in the machinery of the Sam's arm.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that," Riku rubbed the back of his neck.

"You didn't tell her I installed an ice relic in my arm?" Sam asked, frowning when Riku shrugged in response.

"I didn't really care enough to recall it," he defended, smirking when Hinata sent him a look.

Hinata rolled her eyes with a smile as she looked back at the relic in her arm, "He told me there was a relic that was creating the blizzard around the Horned King's castle, but he didn't mention that you took it."

"Yep," Sam told her with pride laced in her voice. "I haven't really had much of a chance to try it out yet, but I should be able to use it to create ice. I'll have to mess around with it on the next mission."

"That will be a while," Riku pointed out, stuffing his hands into his pockets as Sam looked up at him with confusion. "DiZ isn't sending us on any more missions until we can get Roxas."

"Really?" she asked in near disbelief. "But how long will that be?"

"He seems to think really soon," Riku replied with a shrug. "The break will give you the chance to get some sleep at least."

"Unless you decide to head back to Montressor," Hinata added with her eyes down-casted towards Sam's arm as she released it.

Sam noticed Hinata's sullen expression and sighed. "Honestly, the more I think about rushing home, the more unsure I am about it."

"Really?" Hinata asked, bringing her gaze up to meet hers. "Why?"

A frown tugged at the corner of Sam's mouth as she admitted, "I don't feel like I should rush into searching for my dad. I know he's alive and I know I'm going to find him eventually, so there isn't really much of a point to go into a frenzy trying to get there faster than I should…" She ruffled her hair with her hand, "If that makes any sense…"

"It does," Riku assured her, smirking when she looked up at him. "You'll find him when it's time."

Sam smiled back and told them, "I do want to go back to Montressor soon, but… only when I feel like it's time. I'll still be here for a bit longer, at least."

"That's good," Hinata let out a breath of relief. "I would have hated if you were leaving tomorrow morning."

With a short scoff, Sam reminded her, "Yeah, then you would have gotten to know how I felt when you left Montressor with a day's notice."

"Heh," Hinata chuckled a bit awkwardly, "yeah, I guess that's true."

Sam snickered, before changing the subject, "So, how did the date go? I didn't get a chance to ask you earlier."

"Oh, uh," Hinata looked back at Riku as he let out a breath and explained.

"It was going fine until Bane showed up."

"What?!" Sam exclaimed, her hands dropping at her sides. "You're kidding!" When Riku shook his head, she scowled, "How the hell did he know where you guys were?"

"DiZ thinks he might have a way to track my Corridors," Riku explained, meeting his gaze with Hinata's when she looked at him in surprise. "Just like how the Organization did to follow Xion to the mansion."

"DiZ mentioned that to me, too, actually," Sam sighed, crossing her arms. "The Organization showing up, anyways... Damn…" She let out a breath and asked, "So, what, Hinata's stuck here again?"

"Until Sora wakes up," Riku nodded, sending Hinata a smile. "Then we're going after Bane ourselves."

"Woah," Sam looked between them. "Really?"

Hinata smirked back at Riku before turning her attention to Sam and explaining, "Yeah, I know it's going to be dangerous and it's risky, but I can't keep hiding away forever."

"And you're okay with the risk?" Sam asked Riku with a frown. "You've been really big on making sure she's safe no matter what."

"She handled Bane on her own just fine." Riku walked forward, placing his hand on Hinata's shoulder. "I wasn't able to protect her myself, but she handled it."

Hinata placed her hand over his, smiling up at him, as Sam looked between them with a deepening frown.

"But you've known she can fight," Sam reminded him. "It's not like that's something new. How does her fighting change your mind about letting her leave the mansion? And not only leave, but go after the same people that are hunting her down? There's so many things that can go wrong with this."

Riku looked up at her as his smile disappeared. He thought about it for a moment with a straight expression, before explaining, "Bane was able to find Hinata just within a few hours of leaving the mansion. So far, the only safe place for her is here, but we can't just keep her here forever."

"Even after Sora wakes up, it's not like Bane's just going to stop looking for me," Hinata added with a bit of frustration in her voice. "No matter what happens to the other worlds or the Organization, Bane doesn't care about that; he just cares about finishing his job of capturing me. And there's no telling when he'll decide to just break into the mansion and take me by force. I don't really understand what's keeping him from doing that now, if I'm being honest."

"The point is," Riku cut in with a sigh, "rather than making her wait around here in constant fear, we're going to take the fight to him."

Sam continued to frown as she thought over their words, looking between them. After a few seconds of silence, she let out a breath. "Alright, then-count me in."

Hinata's eyes widened, "What?"

"I want to help," Sam clarified, crossing her arms, "even if it is a stupid ass idea…"

"I appreciate the offer, but we can't let you do that," Riku shook his head. "After Sora wakes up, there's no telling when your galaxy border will go back up."

"Well my vision said I'm going to find my dad for sure," Sam reminded him, "so I'm pretty sure I'll be fine." She brought her attention to Hinata, "What do you think?"

Hinata didn't reply and instead stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her for a hug.

"I'll take that as a yes," Sam chuckled as she hugged her back.

Hinata pulled back and met her eyes with Sam's as she told her, "Afterwards, I'll help you look for your dad, alright?"

Sam's eyes slightly widened as a smile spread over her face and she nodded, "That'd be great."

They hugged again for a moment, before Sam let out another yawn. She pulled away and brought her hand to her mouth, "Not that I don't love talking with you guys, but I'm really exhausted."

"It's fine," Hinata assured her, before falling into a yawn herself. "You go get some sleep. We can hang out tomorrow."

"Will do," Sam smiled at Hinata and sent a small wave to Riku as she turned around, "Goodnight, you two."

"Night," Hinata replied, watching her go below deck before turning towards Riku. "You ready for bed?"

He nodded, feeling a huge wave of exhaustion hit him all at once. "I can't wait to get into our bed," he admitted, holding out his hand for her.

She smiled as she interlaced her fingers with his and walked with him off the ship. They made it back to their room and Riku released her hand, stretching his arms as he went straight for the bed. Hinata chuckled as she closed the door behind them and began taking off her shoes, seeing Riku sitting at the edge of the bed, doing the same.

"This has been quite a day," Hinata commented as she walked over to the bed, sitting beside Riku. She was about to lean her head against his shoulder before he fell back onto the mattress, letting out an audible sigh of satisfaction as he sunk into the plush comforter.

He laid there for a moment with a smile on his face before replying in a calm voice. "It's been quite the year... "

Hinata thought about it before asking, "Has it really been a year since we left the island?"

"Over a year, actually," he clarified, closing his eyes. He opened one of them when he felt Hinata lying down beside him and smiled as she ran her hand along his chest.

"It's funny," she softly spoke, watching her hand graze against the fabric of his shirt, "I was only on the island for a year, but I think of it more as my home than my own actual homeworld where I grew up."

"It's just because I was there," he commented snidely, making her laugh.

"Probably was, if I'm being honest," she agreed with a grin. They both chuckled, before she continued, "What's odd to me is that we've actually been away from the island longer than I ever lived on it… Just makes me wonder why I want to go back so badly."

Riku looked over at her, smirking at her distracted gaze as she stared at her hand on his chest, as well as the confused expression paired with her small frown. He lifted his hand, pushing her hair behind her ear and getting her attention. Once their eyes met, he surmised, "It's probably because of all the memories you made there. That's where we met and you started a new life with new friends. We didn't have to worry about Heartless and whether or not we'd come home alive from a mission."

"We did have to worry about your parents," she reminded him, making him scoff.

"And Titus trying to steal you from me before I asked you out," he added, making her giggle.

"Oh please, his puppy-dog crush barely swayed me," she sweetly smiled as she leaned over and gave him a kiss. She looked over his face as she pulled away. "We really have been through a lot though, haven't we?"

"Yeah," he agreed, running his hand along her cheek. "And we probably have a lot more to go through."

"Probably," she sighed in agreement, lying down and tucking her head into the crook of his arm. She closed her eyes and let out a breath, "But we'll go through it together."

"Yeah," he smirked, running his hand along her arm as another wave of exhaustion washed through him. Letting out a yawn, he told her with a sleepy voice, "We'll be just fine."

Hinata hummed in agreement with a content smile on her face as she snuggled closer to him, her mind already falling away to pleasant dreams.

The next four days went by without much excitement. Sam spent most of the week on the ship, gathering spare parts and putting together the holographic lockets she had aforementioned to the others. Jim kept her company throughout over the transmitter, working on his own projects at the Interstellar Academy while giving Sam advice on what she could do for the lockets.

Riku and Hinata were inseparable throughout the week, going almost everywhere together and sleeping in every day. They paid a daily visit to Namine, per Hinata's request, chatting with her and drawing a few pictures to display on her wall. When they weren't with her, they would be sparring on the ship, cooking a new meal, or relaxing in their room, enjoying each other's company. Despite the circumstances for the lack of missions, their week had been relaxing and cherished.

Hinata let out a yawn as she leaned back against Riku, her eyes dazedly reading the words on the pages of the book in her hands. Riku read over her shoulder, his back leaned against the wall of their room. His arms were around Hinata's waist as his chin rested on her shoulder. They sat together on their bed, enjoying the lazy afternoon by reading a mystery novel Hinata had discovered hidden away in the library. Riku wasn't much interested in the material, but enjoyed spending the time with Hinata. Every so often, he would speckle light kisses along her neck and shoulder, tightening her arms around her.

As he began once again kissing her neck, Hinata paused her reading and let out a sigh, closing her eyes with a small smile on her face. "Are you even reading?" she asked him with a quiet voice, her tattoo glowing as her face warmed.

He smiled against her skin, admitting, "Sort of. It's hard to focus with you right here." Hinata giggled, making him add, "Plus, I'm still making up for all the times I couldn't kiss you while I was gone."

"You've had four days," she reminded him with a laugh.

"I was gone three weeks!" he countered with a laugh of his own. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No, it's not that," she admitted, resituating herself before adding with a quieter voice, "You're just making it hard to focus, too."

"Hmm," he hummed in response, a smirk obvious in his tone as he continued kissing.

She moved to hold up her book with one hand, sliding the other to Riku's arms wrapped around her waist. She ran her hand along his arms as she continued to read, pausing with a smile whenever he would stop to give her another kiss along her neck.

A soft pair of approaching footsteps caught their attention and Hinata leaned forward, looking towards their open doorway. A smile appeared on her face when she saw Namine come into view. Riku released his arms from around her, to allow Hinata to climb out of the bed. Hinata scrambled to her feet with a grin on her face, about to greet Namine before she noticed the emotion welled up in her eyes.

Hinata paused, her smile vanishing into a look of concern. "Namine, what's wrong?"

Namine had her hands clasped in front of her as her big, blue eyes stared back at Hinata's. She darted her gaze to Riku, her frown deepening.

"It's about Roxas, isn't it?" Riku surmised, getting up from the bed and putting on his black coat. He stood behind Hinata, resting his hand on her shoulder.

Namine wordlessly nodded and averted her gaze. "Something's… wrong. DiZ and I need to talk to you about it, right away."

"Alright," Riku agreed, giving Hinata's shoulder a light squeeze. She looked up at him, and he told her in a quiet tone. "I'll be back."

Hinata strained a smile, nodding as he walked past her to follow Namine. As they reached the doorway, Namine sent a short glance back at Hinata, showing her a small, reassuring smile, before turning around and leading the way to the lab. Hinata let out a breath once they were gone, the overwhelming stress and anxiety rushing into her all at once. The last four days she had done everything she could to distract herself from everything going on. Picking up her book from the bed, she looked at its cover for a moment before walking out of them room with it tucked under her arm.

She went up the stairs leading to the second floor and glanced towards the door that led into the library and lab, but suddenly turned away from it. Instead she sat down, leaning against the wooden railing that overlooked the foyer. With the fogged glass windows were right in front of her, she could see the colorful garden out back as well as Ben exploring with Jack in tow. She watched over them for a moment with a slight smile before opening her book to attempt to get lost in its paper world.

The words did little to ease her anxiety, but she read on, trying to distract her mind. After a few pages, she closed the book with a huff and tossed it down beside her. Shaking her head, she planted her face in her hands.

"Everything's going to be fine," she whispered to herself in reassurance. She slid her hands behind her neck, staring out the window again as she took in a long breath. "The vision showed us happy and safe. No reason to worry…" Shaking her head, she groaned and muttered, "Then why do I feel like something horrible is about to happen…?"

The door to the library opened, making Hinata scramble to her feet. She held her breath as Riku came out. He closed the door behind him and paused when he saw Hinata waiting for him. At a distance, they stared at each other in silence. A tension rose in the air between them, making Hinata's stomach drop.

"Something's wrong," she spoke up, breaking the silence, "isn't there?"

Without replying, Riku walked past her towards the railing, clasping his hands around it with his eyes down casted. Hinata stood beside him, their arms brushing together as she stared out at the empty foyer.

A minute passed before Riku spoke. "Roxas… He killed Xion…"

Hinata whipped her attention to him with a gasp, yet the more she thought over his words, the less impact they had on her. "Xion…" she said with a quiet, thoughtful voice.

"She's fading from our memories," he explained. "She was the Nobody I was with the last three weeks."

Hinata wordlessly nodded, unable to put a face to the name. "I'm sorry…" she admitted. "I… don't remember."

"It's alright," he assured her, keeping his gaze downcasted. "I'm having a hard time remembering her, too."

"Why did Roxas kill her?" she asked.

Riku sighed, "Namine says he's turned on the Organization. That's why they sent Xion after him, to stop him..." His voice trailed off.

"But, she's gone now," Hinata finished for him, thinking it over for a moment. "I don't quite understand."

"It's alright," he told her again, placing his hand over hers on the railing. "I think… she was important for waking up Sora. I don't really remember." Letting out a breath, he told her. "But now I need to go after Roxas… With him turning on the Organization, he's unpredictable and the Organization will be after him now, too."

"And there's no telling what they'll do to him since he's turned on them," Hinata muttered, tightening her hands around the railing.

"Right," he agreed, letting go of the railing to lean his elbows on it . "And there's another thing, too…"

"What is it?" she asked.

"DiZ told me he's been keeping watch on Roxas, observing his progress and what he's been up to…" He began fidgeting his hands as he took in a deep breath. "He said that Roxas has gotten even more powerful than Sora was."

Hinata's heart tightened as she began chewing on the inside of her cheek. "But… from what DiZ and Namine have told us, Sora easily took out three Organization Members-"

"Not to mention beating me even when I had Xehanort's full power inside me," he finished for her, letting out his breath. "Yeah, I know."

"And Roxas is stronger than that?" she asked, her voice beginning to shake. When Riku nodded, she bit her lip as she thought over it. Closing her eyes, she took in a breath and asked, "Do you know where he is?"

"He's still on the Organization Homeworld," Riku told her.

"Alright, then let's go," Hinata looked up at him.

Riku whipped his attention to her and shook his head. "You're not coming with me."

Hinata's brows furrowed as she stepped back from the railing. "But you just said that Roxas is even more powerful than Sora." Crossing her arms, she paced towards the window as she spoke, "He killed that girl, and if he's able to run from the Organization, he's probably taken out a couple of them, too, or at least hurt them." Turning back around to face him, she added, "I'm not about to stand by and let you face him on your own!"

"And I'm not about to stand by and let you fall right into the Organization's hands," he countered with frustration in his voice. Letting out a breath, he stepped back from the railing and put his arms out at his sides. "It's way too risky-you know that."

"Then bring Sam along," Hinata offered, motioning outside towards the ship.

Riku scoffed, "No way."

"She isn't the best fighter, but at least she'd be some backup," she attempted to persuade him, coming up and placing her hands on his arm.

"She isn't anywhere near ready for that," Riku shook his head as he paced a few steps away, making Hinata's hands fall. Turning around to face her, he added, "I saved her life twice on Prydain. She was seconds away from being killed two separate times because she was rushing into things without stopping to think. I can't babysit her on a mission like this."

"Then what are you supposed to do if Roxas proves to be too powerful?" she asked holding out her arms.

Riku stared back at her before glancing out the window beside them, letting out a sigh. With a slight shake of his head, he shrugged, "If I really needed to…" His voice trailed off as he placed a hand along the side of his black sash, making Hinata's eyes widen. "I could take this off."

"You… You wouldn't do that, though," Hinata's whispering voice trembled. "Right?"

He opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the right words. Running his hand through his hair, he turned around and heard Hinata let out a shaking breath. Closing his eyes, he felt a knot tightening in the pit of his stomach and swallowed hard. Hinata's soft touch on his arm caught his attention. He looked over to see her hands running along his arm and her worried, golden eyes gazing up at him.

"This…" he averted his gaze and sighed, "This is bigger than us, Hinata… If I don't get Roxas, we lose our chance to wake Sora." He forced himself to look into her eyes that were filling with tears, making his heart lurch "And I can't let that happen…. No matter what."

"I know," she replied with a weak voice, leaning her cheek against his arm. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath. "But i-it's not for sure that you'll have to do that, right? You might be able to handle Roxas just fine without needing to take off the sash."

He tried to smile, but it fell back to a frown. He reached up his hand and placed it over hers as he looked away. "...Right," he whispered in response.

Hinata tightened her hands around him, her heart sinking from his sullen tone. "But-" her voice squeaked and she cleared her throat, yet her voice was still weak despite it. "If it does happen," she began as she walked around him so they could face each other and placed her hands along his arms. She waited for him to meet her gaze and tipped the corner of her lips into a small smile. "We'll make it work."

Riku lifted his hand, pushing a few stray strands of hair out of her face and resting it on her cheek. "I'll do whatever I can to make sure that doesn't happen," he assured her.

She closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch, reaching up her own hand to his, before turning to plant a small kiss on his palm. The slightest hint of a smile appeared on his lips from her affection and he leaned forward, meeting his lips with hers in a deep, passionate kiss. She gasped in surprise, but quickly kissed him back, feeling a sense of desperation in his touch. He wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her closer. Her heart fluttered, yet also twisted with a pang of anxiety. They both knew that no matter what happened on the mission, he wouldn't return the same.

He leaned his forehead against hers when they broke apart, a lump forming in his throat. "I have to go," he choked out.

"I know," she nodded, taking in a sharp breath. She kissed him once more, lingering a bit before allowing him to pull away completely. As he stepped back, she spoke up, "I love you."

"I love you, too." He strained a smile as he raised his hand.

With a flick of his wrist, a black smoke surrounded him and he vanished, leaving Hinata standing alone. She let out a shaking breath and reached out her hand towards the railing, grasping it tightly. She stood in silence for several seconds, a ringing in her ears as her anxiety steadily rose the more she thought about everything that was going on. Just minutes ago, she had been relaxing with him, enjoying his company without a worry in the world. She suddenly choked on the knot in her throat as that thought crossed her mind.

"Just make sure to come back, Riku," she whispered, shutting her eyes as she felt the corners of them sting with tears. "No matter what."


	41. It's Come to This

Chapter 41

***Recap: Riku and Sam have returned from Prydain, both with promising visions given to them by Hen Wen. Upon returning, Riku took Hinata out for a special night out at the beach, where they were discovered by Cad Bane. Hinata is able to fight him off and Riku teleports them back to safety. Back at the mansion, Riku declares that after Sora awakes, he and Hinata are going to go after Bane once and for all. After discussing it with Sam, she agrees to join them on the venture.

A few days later, Namine retrieves Riku for an urgent meeting with DiZ, where he learns that Roxas has turned on the Organization and killed Xion. He has to leave to confront Roxas, but is unsure if he will be able to handle him on his own. Hinata pleads with him to allow her to come along as aid, but he refuses, saying that if need be, he can resort to taking off his sash. Hinata begs him not to even consider it, but he leaves telling her that he will do what he has to.***

Hinata ran her hands along her arms as she paced around Namine's white room, stopping every so often by the long fogged window as if hoping to see Riku walking through the gates. A thick lump was permanent in her throat, making it difficult to even breath. The pit of her stomach was knotted, tightening every time she thought about where Riku was. She drew in a quivery breath, shaking her head as she continued to pace.

The colorful drawings hung around the otherwise sterile room brought her little comfort, yet she made sure to look over them every time she went by. She spotted the few pieces Riku had drawn himself, after much coaxing from her. One in particular was a picture of the two of them sitting on the paopu tree at sunset. His delicate and precise linework brought a certain nostalgia, opposite of the rigid sketches Hinata had put together. The slightest hint of a smile teased at the corner of her lips as she looked at the drawing, but quickly fell back to a frown the moment she passed.

The creak of the door opening made her pause her swirl of thoughts. She looked over to see Namine at the doorway, tears welled up in her eyes as she stared back at Hinata. Unable to keep her gaze without breaking down, Hinata averted her eyes and began to turn away before a set of hurried footsteps approached her and a pair of thin arms wrapped around her. Hinata gasped, looking down to see Namine tightly embracing her, burying her face in Hinata's shoulder. Shutting her eyes tight, Hinata hugged her back, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.

They stayed in each other's embrace, both of them struggling to contain their emotions. Namine sniffled a bit as she pulled away, rubbing the moisture from the corner of her eyes as she sent Hinata a small smile. Without saying a word, she walked past Hinata and went to her chair. The sound of the chair rubbing against the floor as she pulled it back echoed in the room, making Namine cringe in response. She glanced up at Hinata as she sat down, then opened her sketchbook and began to draw. Hinata had turned away from her to lean against the window frame, absently staring outside at the black gates and the dense forest. She felt the thin, sheer curtains brush against her from the draft in the room, the constant touch of it distracted her just enough to not drown in her thoughts.

"I…" Hinata broke the tense silence, slightly starling Namine from her art as she whipped her gaze up from her sketchbook. "I hope you don't mind me waiting in here…" Her voice was barely over a whisper.

Namine looked back down at her rough sketch, for once having no idea what she was attempting to create. With a slight shake of her head, she assured her with a soft voice, "Not at all-I was hoping you would. I would hate for you to be all alone right now."

"Yeah…" she scoffed with a breathy bitter chuckle at the end. Turning around, she walked over to the table and pulled out the other chair, hearing it scrape against the floor. She sat down and folded her arms on the table, laying her cheek on her hands as she watched Namine go back to drawing. "I wish DiZ would have sent us after Roxas before he got so powerful."

Namine paused, a frown appearing on her face as she replied with a hesitant tone, "Yes, I agree. I worry we waited much too long…" Her voice trailed off as she brought her eyes up to Hinata's, a smile appearing. "But, I have faith in Riku. He'll be alright."

Hinata tried to smile back but it fell as the lump in her throat trembled. She forced herself to look away, letting the faintest shaking breath escape her. "I... I want to believe in him," she admitted, the strain of tears in her voice as she sniffled. "I'm just… scared."

The soft touch of a hand made her glance over, seeing Namine grasping her arm with a watery sheen over her eyes. "I know," Namine agreed, her voice somehow calm and collected despite the obvious overwhelming emotion in her eyes. "But everything will work out, I'm sure of it."

"I'll try to have your confidence," Hinata replied, straining a slight smile as she let out a breath and stood back up from her seat. "I can't stay still…" she mumbled as she went back to her pacing.

Namine watched her pace the room in silence, before going back to her aimless drawing. Hinata couldn't keep anything still; her hands were either constantly fidgeting or running up and down her arms as she walked back and forth. The tension in the room steadily rose, becoming so thick that Hinata could barely focus. She could feel the heat from her tattoo as it began to glow from her overwhelming anxiety, casting a dim blue hue on everything she passed. Several minutes passed without words; only Hinata's footsteps and the scratch of Namine's pencil against her sketchbook echoed around them, seemingly deafening to Hinata as she counted every second going by. She came to an abrupt stop when Namine let out a startled gasp.

"He's back," Namine spoke up, her words making Hinata's heart jump.

Hinata couldn't help but let out a breath of relief, feeling a grin appear on her face as she hurried towards the door.

"But-" Namine's voice spoke up again, making Hinata freeze at the doorway. "Hinata… he's… changed."

Hinata's heart plummeted as her own breath left her body. She grasped onto the doorframe to keep herself from crumbling to the floor along with the world around her. Tears welled up inside her, the lump in her throat straining to the point of making her choke. She shook her head, shutting her eyes tight as if hoping that she could awaken and find it all to be a dream. Instead she was brought back to reality as she felt Namine's small hand on her shoulder, providing what little comfort she could.

"Are you sure…?" Hinata could barely muster the words in a hoarse trembling voice.

Namine nodded, a tear streaming down her cheek as she replied, "...I'm sorry."

A faint cry escaped Hinata in response, as her hands tightened around the doorframe. She swallowed hard before taking in a long, deep breath. "I…" Her voice broke, but with a slight shake of her head, she tried again with a feeble voice, "I love him…" Taking in another deep breath, she stood back up straight, feeling the dry air stinging as she strained to see through tear-filled eyes. "I love him," she repeated with a stronger almost confident voice as she released her still trembling hands from the doorframe. "It doesn't matter what happened… We're going to make it work…"

Placing her hand over Namine's. she sent her a strained smile before going forward, leaving the room to head out to the foyer. Her first few steps were wobbly and weak, making her keep her hand supported on the railing as she forced herself to move forward. As she turned the corner, she mustered up enough strength to walk tall, removing her hand from the railing as she calmly approached the library.

She pushed open the door and descended the stairs leading towards the lab, slowing to a stop as she reached the bottom. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the metal door, just waiting for it to open. She chewed on her bottom lip, fidgeting her hands in front of her as her new found confidence was already slipping away. Her eyes began to wander from the door, absently following the thin blue lights that lined the floor.

The thoughts swirling in her mind were fogged and unclear; she felt as if she were wandering in a dream. She could barely register what was happening, it didn't seem real. She felt on the cusp of breaking down as everything inside of her trembled and pulsed with pure anxiety and dread. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes, trying to divert her attention to anything but how she was feeling. No matter how she felt, she knew it didn't matter; Riku changed, and she had to learn to accept it. He was more important.

The sound of the door sliding open caught her attention and she darted her eyes up, taking in a sharp breath when she saw Riku standing there. His face was concealed under his hood of the black coat he wore, yet Hinata could sense that his eyes were averted from hers. He stepped forward, allowing the door to slide closed behind him so DiZ wouldn't overhear their exchange, keeping his gaze downcast. Hinata walked towards him with a hesitant step, her hands clasped in front of her as she looked him over. He was several inches taller than he had been when he left and his build just a bit bulkier. As she stopped in front of him, she reached forward and grasped his hands in hers. A frown tugged at her lips as she realized his hands remained limp in hers, but she ignored it, taking in a deep breath as she looked up at him, trying to decipher any details shrouded under his hood.

"Namine, told me what happened," she broke the silence with a whisper and waited for a response, but Riku remained quiet. With a slight clear of her throat, she added trepidatiously. "I'm just glad you're back."

She felt Riku ever so lightly squeeze her hand back in response, making the corner of her lips tip into a smile as she brought her gaze down to their hands. Even his hands appeared to be larger than they had been before-Hinata was barely able to fit them in her grasp. They still fell limply in hers as she began running her thumb along his.

"I know I said it before you left," she spoke up again, feeling him tense from her gentle caress. "But, we're going to make this work…" She brought her eyes up to his face, finally feeling him looking back at her as she gently smiled. "I love you, no matter what."

He blinked a few times, staring back at her before bringing down his gaze to their hands. His heart twisted as he watched her thumb running along his; the hands she was holding weren't his own. Swallowing hard, he stepped back, pulling his hands out of her grasp. He felt her confused eyes boring into him, but he couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze.

"Riku…" she softly said his name, making him shut his eyes as his breath shook. She moved towards him, but he stepped back, making her pause as her heart lurched. "Don't do this," she shook her head as she pleaded hastily. "Don't push me away."

He shook his head in response, unable to bring himself to say anything to her. There was so much he wanted to say, yet he couldn't bare to face her. He looked down at the hands-his hands-held out in front of him, the knot in the pit of his stomach tightening at the sight of them.

"Riku, please," she whispered, tears filling her voice as she stepped towards him once again, her hands clasped over her heart. "I want to be here for you. We'll get through this... You just have to let me in."

He brought his gaze up to hers, his breath catching at the loving expression on her face paired with the tears in her eyes. She was trying so hard to be encouraging, even though he knew seeing him like this had to be tearing her apart. Lifting one of his hands, he pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear, making her smile grow.

"It's going to be hard, but everything's going to work out," she assured him, placing her hand over his to keep it on her cheek. "I promise."

She stared back at him, waiting for his response. Ever so slowly, he nodded in agreement, noticing the glow of Hinata's tattoo brighten in return. Hinata's eyes scanned over his shrouded face, wishing she could see what was underneath. With reluctance, she removed her hand from his and lifted them to the sides of his hood. Before she could even begin to push it back, Riku's hands were clasped around her wrists, constricting her movement. He shook his head, as if telling her, not yet.

Her smile tugged into a frown, her heart sinking. "Riku, I'm going to have to see eventually." Her voice was quiet, yet sweet. "But," she withdrew her hands, placing them back down at her sides as she averted her gaze, "I understand if you need some time… I won't rush you."

Riku reached forward, grasping her hand in his. She looked back at him as he nodded and gave her hand a small, yet tight squeeze before releasing it. With a simple wave of his hand, a black mist surrounded him and he disappeared leaving Hinata once again alone. She let out a ragged breath once he was gone, feeling her emotions threatening to boil over inside of her. Without him there in front of her, her self-assured poise withered. Her balance staggered, making her stumble into the wall for support as her own knees felt weak.

Closing her eyes, she clenched her hands closed and took in a deep breath. "Get a hold of yourself… Just give him time," she chided herself under her breath, actively fighting back the urge to crumble to the ground in pitiful wallows.

Unclenching her hands once she felt a slight bit of composure, she reopened her eyes and was met with the lab door slid shut in front of her. She chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought about DiZ inside the room, no doubt typing away at his keyboard. She wondered if he even cared what Riku had done for him. Using her quivering arms, she pushed herself off the wall and stood back up straight. Her knees wobbled for a moment, before she went forward and pressed the button beside the door, sliding it open.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness as she entered the room with a reluctant step. As she had assumed, DiZ was at his computer, the clacks of his fingers against the keyboard mixing with the mechanical beeps and whirs of the machines. Hinata swallowed hard as her eyes scanned the room, her heart dropping when she recognized Roxas crumpled on the floor. He was unconscious, wearing his Organization cloak as he was situated underneath a massive machine with thick metal pipes protruding off its sides. A thin, yet bright, beam of blue light emanated from the center of the machine, meeting in a glowing sphere of energy right above Roxas' slumped body.

"Riku really did it…" Hinata muttered, moving towards Roxas without really realizing it.

She knelt down in front of him, the lump in her throat straining as she looked him over. It was the first time she had been that close to him, she had only ever seen him atop the clock tower with his friends. Seeing him right in front of her, realizing that she was part of the reason his life had been torn away from him, it made her take in a sharp breath as she forced herself to look away and stand back to her feet before the reality of it could sink in.

"Was there something you needed, Hinata?" DiZ spoke up, getting Hinata's attention.

Hinata darted her watery eyes towards him, a spark of anger igniting in her heart when he didn't even bother to glance back at her from his work. Shaking her head, she looked away and let out a breath. "I'm not sure…" she replied shortly. "I just saw Riku."

"Ah yes," DiZ let out a sigh. "He surely has proven his dedication to our cause." He paused when he heard Hinata let out a scoff in response.

"Riku…" Hinata's voice strained with tears as the tension in her throat constricted. "Riku's always eager to help, he's always willing to go above and beyond to get the job done," she hastily wiped away a stray tear as she cleared her throat, noticing DiZ turning his seat around to look at her. She struggled to keep her voice under control as she continued. "You know he's like that. But you still sent him after Roxas, by himself, knowing Roxas was too much for him."

"The choice to confront Roxas was entirely his own," DiZ replied to her matter-of-factly, clasping his hands in his lap. "As was his choice to accept the darkness in his heart."

Hinata's voice choked as she turned and began pacing, running her hands through her hair. "His choice? Really?" she challenged him, her volume rising as the spark of anger in her heart began to flare. The tribulation inside her was overtaken by a sudden resentment as she bit, "You sure you weren't manipulating him into thinking there was no other way?"

DiZ's visible eye narrowed as he spoke with a firm tone, "I don't know what you're inferring."

She stopped pacing and spun to face him, her eyes glaring and the heat of her tattoo feverishly warming her face. "I'm saying you knew perfectly well what would happen to Riku when he left to go after Roxas. You knew he wouldn't refuse!" She outstretched her arms at her side as her voice rose into a yell, "And I mean, how could he?! It's not like you gave him any other option! You forced him into a no-win situation!"

"He most certainly had a choice," DiZ countered, his own voice remaining calm.

"Really?! What exactly were his choices?" she demanded, feeling her anger snip at the base of her throat. "Either go after Roxas or give up on Sora? What did you expect him to choose?"

"Riku knew the possible consequences of retrieving Roxas," DiZ reminded her, looking towards Roxas unconscious on the floor. "But he did what needed to be done. Perhaps you should learn to do the same."

Hinata scowled back at him with obvious disdain, clenching her hands into tight fists as she snipped back, "Or perhaps I should stop letting self-absorbed, manipulative people tell me and everyone I care about how to run our lives!" DiZ whipped his attention back to her as she motioned towards Roxas. "There had to be other ways to get Roxas and maybe if you would listen to a damn thing we said, we could have figured them out! Instead, you hide away in here expecting us to follow every stupid order and mission you send us on without question!"

"I do it for your own good!" DiZ abruptly stood from his seat, his voice booming.

"Seriously?!" she challenged him, undeterred from his tone, glaring back at him as she pointed towards the door. "Because what just happened to Riku was far from anything good! He can't change back, do you even get that!?" The tears returned to her broken voice as she repeated, "He can never change back!" She let out a shaking breath, looking away as tears fell down her face. "I just…" her voice broke, "I just want him back…" A faint cry escaped her as she closed her eyes, trying to regain composure. Taking in a sharp breath, she stared icily back at DiZ. "But because of you and your secret agenda, he can't. He's stuck in a body that isn't supposed to be his."

"Hinata…" DiZ downcast his eye, his voice had lost its hard edge and was instead replaced with a sense of familiarity. Letting out a breath, he confessed, "I did not intend for him to change."

Hinata's eyes momentarily softened, but transformed back into a glare within seconds. Shaking her head, she hugged her arms around herself to give any semblance of comfort to her broken spirit, and remarked, "Yeah, well he did." She licked her lips as she averted her gaze before adding with a low voice, "You keep saying you aren't anything like our old employer, but I think you're a lot more alike than you think." She met her eyes with DiZ's widened one and turned around, leaving the lab without looking back.

The door slid closed behind her and Hinata leaned against it, staring up at the ceiling as every part of her ached to cry. Taking in a trembling breath, she pushed herself forward and went up the stairs to leave. She paused as she emerged into to the foyer, seeing both Sam and Riku right outside the library.

Riku still had his cloak on, concealing his face as he leaned against the railing with his arms crossed. Sam stood close by, pacing back and forth as she ruffled her hair. They both drew their gazes to Hinata when they heard the door open. Hinata gasped in surprise as she quickly wiped away the visible tears on her cheeks and shut the door behind her.

"W-what are you guys doing out here?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"I don't know about him," Sam motioned her head towards Riku as she approached Hinata, "but I came into the mansion to see how you were doing, then I heard yelling coming from the library."

Hinata's eyes widened, feeling a flush warm her cheeks as she darted her eyes towards Riku. "Is… that why you're out here, too?" Her blush deepened considerably when he nodded in response. She looked between him and Sam as she warily asked, "Did you guys hear what I said?"

"Bits and pieces," Sam crossed her arms. "I was planning on just barging in there to see if you needed backup, but Riku grabbed my arm," she glanced over at him with a confused frown, "which, I assumed, meant not to bother you."

Riku nodded in agreement, pushing himself off the railing and coming up to join them. Hinata looked up at him with a deepening frown.

"I couldn't really gather what was up," Sam admitted, scratching the back of her head. "You seemed pretty miffed about something, though. What's going on?"

"I'd… rather not say," Hinata answered as she averted her gaze, feeling Riku's stare as even more tears welled up in her eyes.

"Hey," Sam spoke softly, reaching forward and placing her hand along Hinata's arm. "Whatever it is, you don't have to deal with it by yourself, alright?" When Hinata wordlessly nodded, she added, "You don't have to tell me right now-whenever you're ready. I'll just, uh…" She removed her hand from Hinata and took a couple steps back. "I'll go back to my room for now."

"W-wait," Hinata squeaked, making Sam pause, "Can we… share a room the next couple nights?"

Sam's nose scrunched in confusion as she looked between Riku and Hinata. "You guys… didn't break up, did you?"

"No, no," Hinata shook her head, unable to hide the emotion in her voice. "I just… We… It's hard to explain right now."

"Oh, well, uh, sure," Sam agreed, sending Riku a concerned look as she motioned towards Hinata. Riku just shook his head in return, only making her more confused. "Just come to my room whenever you're ready to turn down for the night and we can sleep in that room we had the slumber party in."

"Thank you…" Hinata whispered, finally able to meet her gaze with Sam's as she strained a smile that barely lasted a second before falling back to a frown.

"Of course," Sam uneasily smiled back, walking backwards before turning around and descending the stairs.

Hinata hugged her arms around herself as Sam left and kept her eyes averted from Riku's. They stood beside each other, Hinata's stifled cries being the only sound between them. She shut her eyes, desperately trying to keep it together until she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Riku standing right in front of her. Seeing him there made her take in a sharp breath as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed against his chest, her heart twisting as she felt Riku wrap his arms around her back, pulling her close. "I'm trying to be okay with this… I just…" Her voice broke as she began to shatter, tightening her arms around him as she struggled to keep her tears silent. Everything she had been bottling up came flooding out, staining her cheeks and Riku's cloak as she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. She could hear his heartbeat mixing with her aching one: at least that was still the same.

Riku felt the same emotion threatening to well up inside of him as Hinata's shoulders began to heave along with her ragged gasps between her tears. It took all of his strength to shove it aside; this was his doing. Though completely by accident, he was once again responsible for tearing her down to the point of having nothing left. All he could do was hold her in his embrace, helpless to her. Despite himself, he kissed the top of her head, wishing he could tell her that everything was going to be alright, yet, he wasn't sure he would believe his own words.

His gesture brought her a piece of composure, as her sobs quieted down to faint whimpers. She sniffled as she began running her hands along his back, listening to his calming heartbeat as it lulled her back to a sense of stability. Once she was able to breath normally, she spoke up with a weak voice. "Could you understand what I said to DiZ?" She could feel Riku's chin resting on her head as he nodded, making her freeze as she asked hesitantly, "Did I upset you?" Riku shook his head, making her let out a breath as he gave her a light squeeze. "That's good at least," she sniffled again as she pulled back her arms, wiping away her tears. Taking in a deep breath, she looked up at him with a small smile, barely able to make out a reflective glimmer from his eyes staring back at her, even though she was still unable to decipher any facial details. She blinked before her smile grew, realizing it had been months since she had even seen light reflecting from his eyes. "At least you don't have to wear the sash anymore."

She felt a rumble in Riku's chest, as if he were chuckling silently. He lifted his hand and wiped away a few of her spare tears. Hinata closed her eyes, feeling her heart flutter from his touch-it felt different, yet also familiar and comforting.

"I should probably head to Sam's room," she spoke up again, opening her eyes as Riku withdrew his hand. "You don't mind me staying with her a couple days, do you?" He shook his head before she averted her eyes and added, "I figured you could use the time alone… But, uh, if you need me, that's where I'll be."

She looked back up at him, trying to smile, but it fell the longer she gazed at him. Lowering her gaze, she stepped back out of his embrace and walked past him to head downstairs, feeling akin to an empty husk. Her tears had been spent and finally spilled, yet there was still an overwhelming weight on her heart that made it difficult to function. She was met with the brisk, cold breeze as she opened the fogged glass doors, making her shiver. She ran her hands along her arms as she walked through the garden, noticing the bed of white daisies as she passed. The sight made her heart sink. As she got on board of the ship, she was greeted by Ben, who was excited as usual, having no idea what had become of Riku in the last few hours. After a couple minutes of pestering, Jack flew up through the deck and barked at Ben, making him instantly fall silent. Jack then looked to Hinata and licked her cheek before gently nuzzling into her.

"You know what happened, don't you, boy?" Hinata whispered to him, hugging him back and scratching him behind the ears.

He only whimpered in response as he flew up to her shoulder and snuggled into her. Hinata patted his head as she sent Ben an apologetic smile and went below deck. She could hear Sam's muffled voice coming from her room as she descended the stairwell, seemingly talking to someone on her communication device. Hinata stopped in front of her door and lifted her hand to knock, but paused. Jack nudged her cheek with his nose, whimpering.

"I don't want to bother her," Hinata told him with an almost monotone voice, lowering her hand.

Jack shook his head and floated forward, letting out a string of barks as he flew through the door.

"Jack!" Hinata yelped in surprise, her aching heart jumped, causing a jolt of adrenaline to rush into her. She stumbled back when Sam abruptly opened the door. "Uh, hey," Hinata sheepishly smiled, half-waving.

Sam smirked as she scratched Jack behind the ears. "Was this what you wanted me to see?" she asked him, getting a bark in response.

"I don't want to bother you," Hinata spoke up, averting her gaze as she ran her hands along her arms. "I know you're on a call."

"Oh, it's just James," Sam waved her off.

"I heard that," James' voice called from the room. "Is that Hinata?"

"Yeah," Sam called back over her shoulder, before looking to Hinata and asking with a hushed voice, "Are you doing any better?"

Hinata's smile faltered a bit as she shrugged. "A bit. It's going to take some getting used to."

Sam's nose wrinkled in confusion. "I'm not exactly sure what that means, but you can come in for a bit if you want. James certainly wouldn't mind."

"I think I will," Hinata said, her smile returning as she met her eyes with Sam's. "Thanks."

Sam stepped back, opening the door wider to allow Hinata inside. Jack floated back to Hinata's shoulder as she came in, giving her cheek a small lick. Hinata patted him on the head as she came up to Sam's bed. With every step she felt the weight of the day falling back onto her heart, making her short-lived adrenaline rush fritter away. She saw James' hologram on Sam's desk, as she sat down on the edge of her bed. James was sitting at his desk in his office, working on paperwork. He glanced up when he heard Hinata sit down and grinned.

"Good to see you," he greeted. "I didn't get to talk to you much last time Sam called me."

Hinata stiffly smiled as she slowly nodded. "Yeah… Things were a bit hectic with her telling you about her vision."

His grin began to fall as he stared at her. "Hey, you alright?"

"Something happened," Sam spoke up as she sat down in her seat, lifting her feet to lean on the edge of the desk. Lacing her hands behind her head, she added, "I don't really know what it was, but it's got both her and Riku pretty shook."

James' expression turned concerned as he looked back to Hinata. "What happened?"

"Riku," Hinata took in a deep breath as she grasped the edge of the bed, digging her nails into the plush comforter as she downcast her gaze, "had to leave to get Roxas, but he came back different…"

"Different how?" James pried.

"Wait, Roxas?" Sam jumped and put up her hands to interject. "Did he get him?"

"Sam, sit down," James groaned, not appreciating the interruption. "I want to know what happened to Riku."

Sam rolled her eyes at her brother as she turned towards him and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, hush," she chided "the only reason you want to know what happened to Riku is so you can have another reason to think you're better than him. We've been waiting to get Roxas for months now!"

James scoffed, "Just sit down." As Sam sat down with a huff, James looked to Hinata. "So, how did Riku change?"

"It's, uh, really hard to explain," Hinata admitted, paying no mind to their bickering as she kept her gaze downcast from theirs. "But, basically, he isn't the same person he was when he left… Like, literally."

"What?" Sam sat backwards on her chair, so she could see Hinata. "What is that even supposed to mean?"

"He took off that sash thing, didn't he?" James asked, causing both the girls to whip their attention to him with widened eyes. "Riku mentioned something about it keeping the darkness from overwhelming him, whatever that means."

"He actually told you that?" Hinata replied in near disbelief. "When?"

"It was when we took your ship out for that test drive," James shrugged. "I told him that dark portal thing he made was pretty cool and it got us talking."

"Huh…" The slightest hint of a smile tipped at Hinata's lips as she thought it over.

"That sash over his eyes," Sam spoke with a hesitant, yet thoughtful, tone. "It was keeping the darkness inside of him… So, what happened when he took it off?"

Hinata's smile disappeared as she brought up her gaze, feeling the constant lump in her throat tighten. "He… transformed into Xehanort… Or, at least a version of him."

"Xehanort?" James repeated the name as Sam gasped.

"You don't mean…" Sam leaned forward with a hushed tone. "That guy that used Riku to hurt you?"

Hinata swallowed hard as she quickly nodded, making Sam let out a groan.

"No wonder you're so messed up right now," Sam mumbled, planting her face in her hands. "That really sucks."

"I'm lost," James spoke up.

Sam lifted her face from her hands, letting out an exaggerated sigh. Looking to Hinata, she whispered, "One second." Turning in her seat, she looked at James darting his gaze between them with bafflement. "Oh, sorry, James," she stood from her seat and reached towards the communication device. "The connection's pretty awful, gonna have to call you back."

James rolled his eyes, "You could just say you need time to talk alone. I don-"

Sam cut off the call and turned back towards Hinata. Leaning back on her desk, she crossed her arms and observed Hinata's tense stature. Her arms were trembling ever so slightly, and her eyes were reddened and filled with tears, as if she could break down at any moment.

"Is there any way to change him back?" Sam broke the silence.

"Not that we know of," she replied with a slight quiver in her tone. Clearing her throat, she took in a deep breath, talking with a stronger voice. "He could be like this forever… But given the visions, I know I'll adapt eventually. It's just… a bit hard to swallow right now."

"But why did he even take off the sash?" Sam asked. "He knew what would happen, didn't he?"

"He wasn't left with much of a choice," Hinata began fidgeting her hands in her lap. "Roxas just proved to be too powerful for him and he needed to bring him back to the mansion now, or we could lose the chance forever… So… he did what needed to be done." She averted her gaze from Sam's concerned eyes.

"That's… pretty messed up," Sam sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Why didn't he ask me to come along with him? I didn't even know he was gone."

"I know... " Hinata chewed on the inside of her cheek. "He didn't want to put you in danger. Plus, DiZ sort of put the responsibility on Riku."

"Is that what you were giving DiZ an earful about?" Sam asked, receiving a nod in response. "Well, that explains a few things." Shaking her head, she pushed herself off her desk and went to sit beside Hinata on the bed.

Hinata leaned her head on Sam's shoulder, letting out a breath. "Yeah… It's a bit of a mess."

"I'll say," Sam chuckled, putting her arm around her shoulder. She felt Jack give her hand a small lick before he floated out of the way. "Have you seen what Riku looks like yet?"

"He isn't ready to show me," Hinata whispered.

"Did he tell you that?" she asked.

"He… hasn't said anything to me since he got back," Hinata confessed, her hands tightening together.

"He's going to have to eventually…" Sam sighed, letting their conversation fall to a silence as she pondered over the situation. Her eyes scanned around the room as she chewed on her bottom lip in thought. She focused on her communication device on her desk before speaking up again, "I'm going to call James back."

She removed her hand from around Hinata as she stood up and walked over to her desk. Hinata watched in silence as Sam flicked the device on and pressed a few buttons to call her brother. A shrill ring sliced through the tense air, making Hinata wince from the sound before James' hologram flickered atop the device.

"I'm guessing the connection's better?" James asked, sending his sister a look.

Sam chuckled as she stepped back and placed her hands along her hips. "Something like that. Could you keep Hinata company? I need to go do something really quick."

"You do?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, I'll be back in a bit," Sam smirked back at her.

"Uh, sure, I guess," James shrugged, not paying the request much mind as he filled out a packet of paperwork on his desk.

"Cool, I'll be back," Sam waved at them as she left, closing her door behind her before she left the ship.

She sent Ben a short wave as she went through the garden, seeing him watering a few of the flower beds. They spoke for a couple minutes before she continued on her way, entering the mansion. She stretched her arms as she went into the long hallway and came to a stop in front of Riku and Hinata's room. Clearing her throat, she lifted her hand and knocked on the door.

"Hey, uh, Riku?" Sam spoke up. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

There was the muffled sound of someone rustling around before the door was slowly opened. Riku peered out at Sam in silence, the feeling of his stare making her uncomfortable. He was still wearing his black cloak, concealing his face.

Sam shifted her weight between her feet as she averted her gaze. "Uh, so, I just got done talking to Hinata." She waited for Riku to respond, but he just continued to stare. "And, I heard that you went after Roxas." She looked back up at him, expecting some sort of confirmation, but he still didn't move. His lack of response sparked the slightest bit of frustration in Sam's gut as she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. "Are you just going to stare at me, or say something?"

Riku let out a long sigh, before responding in a deep, unfamiliar voice. "I brought Roxas back."

Sam's eyes widened as she gasped from hearing his new tone. "So you did change," she whispered.

She noticed Riku's grip on the door tighten considerably from her reaction. "Was that all you wanted…?"

Sam shook her head, pushing aside her shock. "No, but… Wait," she looked up at him with a frown, "you're alright with talking to me, but you can't manage a word to Hinata?" Riku just stared at her in silent shock as she continued, "You've been dating her for almost two years." Her voice rose along with her frustration. "She's been there for you through literally everything, and the moment this happens you give her the silent treatment? Really?"

Riku scoffed, "If you're just here to lecture me about things you don't understand-"

"I understand that you're basically pushing away the most important person in your life, on purpose, again," Sam interrupted him, before asking, "Did you even think about her before you decided to pull off that sash?"

She was cut off when the door was slammed in her face, making her gasp. Sam gave off a scowl before yelling through the door, "Gee, that's mature! You can't just run away from things you don't want to deal with, you know! Hinata's a wreck! Do you even care about that, or are you too self absorbed to even notice?"

The door swung open and Sam stumbled back with a startled scream when she saw who she assumed was Riku. He had pulled off his hood, revealing a face that was bony and matured, and his once fair skin was tanned, contrasting with his almost-white hair that was slicked back. Riku glared back at Sam with burning amber eyes, looking at least twenty years older than he had been just earlier that day.

"Just stop," Riku bit, his deep voice bellowing as it echoed around them. "You have no idea what's going on." He stepped towards her, making her scramble back against the wall as she stared up at him with widened eyes. "You really think I wanted this to happen!? I have the face and voice of the person that destroyed Hinata's life!"

"T-that's not-" she barely stuttered out with trembling voice, unable to tear her eyes away from him. "That's not what I meant."

Riku's wolf-like eyes narrowed as he felt the festering darkness inside of him begin to boil, the overwhelming sensation seemingly ten times more powerful than he was used to. He clenched his hands at his side, feeling his rage growing, until he noticed the slightest shimmer of tears appearing in Sam's eyes. His gaze immediately began to soften as he realized what he was doing. Letting out a long breath, he ran his hand over his face and took a couple steps back.

He pulled up his hood to once again conceal his face before he spoke with a softer voice. "I did what I had to do."

"Y-yeah," she agreed, feeling her terrified, racing heart beginning to calm. "I just wish Hinata didn't get caught in the crossfire." She looked away when Riku brought his gaze to her. "There had to have been a better way."

"There wasn't," he assured her. "Not at the time, anyways."

"Yeah, I know," she took in a deep breath, regaining her shaking composure. "I'm just worried about Hinata."

"Me, too," he confessed, closing his eyes as he felt the last bits of his anger fizzle away. He could still sense the underlying darkness crouching within him, just waiting for him to get riled up again. The thought of it made his heart twist.

"I, um," Sam broke the silence, bringing Riku out of his thoughts. He looked over at her as she ruffled her hair with an averted gaze. "I did have an actual reason for coming to talk to you."

He blinked before asking, "What was it?"

"Oh, um, it was just this idea I had that I wanted to go over with you," she looked back at him and tried to force a smile. "I figured since Sora is probably going to be waking up soon with Roxas here, I would head back to Montressor."

"I thought you said you weren't going to go back?"

"It won't be for long," she explained, getting a bit more confidence laced back in her voice. "Just want to resupply and pay a visit to everyone. And, uh… I was thinking I could bring Hinata with me. You two seem like you could use a few days apart."

"It's too risky," he answered hastily. Before she could add anything else, he asked, "Remember the last time she was on Montressor?"

"Yeah, but no one told us that the Organization could sense our hearts-DiZ decided to leave out that lovely detail." She rolled her eyes at the reference before explaining, "So, what if I have Hinata make those little bracelets that she wears? The ones that can still shield your heart without having to wear those coats?"

"That could work for the Organization," Riku admitted, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "But what about Bane? You even said yourself the other day that it was too risky to let Hinta leave the mansion because of him. And I'm going to be too busy to go along with you to make sure she'll be safe."

"It will be a bit risky," she admitted, "but given the fact that we're planning on going after him after Sora wakes up, I think this will be a lot safer in retrospect. Plus, if everything goes according to my plan, Bane won't have any idea where she is."

Riku stared at her for a moment before asking, "What's your plan?"

"So, I take the ship and I fly to the farthest planet that you can make a Corridor to," she began. "Bane might follow me at first, but when he sees that Hinata isn't on the ship with me, he'll double back here. Once I get there, I'll send you a message and then you can create that Corridor to the ship and send Hinata through. And the moment she's on board, I activate the FTL Drive again and we're off to Montressor. Bane could go to the world where you sent the Corridor-since he can apparently track those-but we'll be gone on the Highwind way before he can get there. And since he doesn't have a tracker on our ship, he'll have no idea where we went."

"So basically, you think we can trick him?" Riku surmised, bringing his hand to his chin. "It is risky… But, it seems like it could work…"

"And with those bracelet things Hinata will put together, he can't ask his Organization buddies where we are because they won't be able to sense our hearts or anyone that would know we are going to Montressor." She smirked with a smug grin, then added, "It's foolproof."

"I wouldn't say it's foolproof," he muttered.

"You know it would do Hinata some good," Sam shrugged. "Plus, it would give you some time to yourself to get over… stuff."

Riku looked away as he crossed his arms, thinking it over.

"Please?" Sam pleaded, making Riku close his eyes with a bit of frustration. "Come on, you know Hinata would love it. And I promise I'll keep her safe."

"Don't make a promise you won't be likely to keep," he mumbled, making Sam huff.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked with a frown.

"It means that you still have a lot to learn," he told her bluntly. "If things go sour with this plan of yours, you might not be able to do anything to stop it."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," she scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Name one thing wrong with my plan?"

"You could be underestimating Bane," Riku pointed out. "What if he sees through your trick?"

"I don't really see how he could," she defended. "He doesn't have a tracker on the ship; I do a thorough check for that sort of thing every time we come back from a mission. There's no way he'll be able to track the ship from where you'll make your Corridor. We'll be long gone by the time he gets there."

Riku grumbled under his breath, but let out a sigh. "Let me think about it, alright?"

Sam's frown transformed into a smirk. "Alright, deal. But I'm pretty sure you're going to say yes."

"Don't jump to conclusions," he warned her.

Sam put her hands up in surrender. "I'm not! I'm just saying."

"Whatever," Riku sighed, turning around to head back into his room. Glancing over his shoulder, he asked, "Was there anything else?"

"Oh, no," she shook her head, letting out a breath. "I just wanted to run that by you before I mentioned it to Hinata."

"Alright…" he nodded, looking back into his room.

"But, uh, Riku?" she spoke up, fidgeting her hands in front of her as Riku paused. "I'm… sorry about everything that happened today. I shouldn't have barged in here yelling at you."

"You really are something else," Riku replied, making her look up at him. "But, it's alright. I know you were just trying to stand up for Hinata. And I can appreciate that."

A small smile appeared on Sam's face as Riku went back into his room and closed the door behind him. Letting out a wistful sigh, she turned to leave the hall and headed back to the ship, ready to fill Hinata and James in on her foolproof plan.


	42. The Last Time

Chapter 42

***Recap: Everything has changed. Riku left to confront Roxas and was forced to take off the sash over his eyes, causing him to release all of the darkness he had been holding back. He returned to the mansion with Roxas, yet the darkness had transformed him into Xehanort. Ashamed, he refuses to let Hinata see his new form or hear his new voice.

After a tense argument, Sam suggests to Riku that he allow Hinata to go back with her to Montressor for a couple days to give them some space while he comes to terms with his new identity. He tells her he will consider it despite the risk.***

Riku walked through the hallway, his hands tucked away into his pockets. His skin was warmed and feverish under the thick fabric of his cloak and hood. He hated having to wear his black coat everywhere he went. The only time he was without it was at night when he was completely alone in his room, and even then he felt off. He was still trying to come to terms with not having Hinata with him in the room at night. Even as he laid in the bed, staring at the ceiling with heavy thoughts brooding in his mind, he could hear Hinata's muffled voice as she would talk with Sam in the room across the hall. Every night, he would close his eyes and listen to her voice, unable to fall to slumber when he knew she was so close by.

He let out a large yawn as he thought about the last few sleepless nights, somewhat thankful that Hinata was going to be gone for a couple days on her trip to Montressor. If nothing else, he would finally be able to get some sleep.

"Hey you," Hinata's sweet voice greeted, rushing him out of his thoughts.

He blinked as his mind came back to reality and saw that he was in the kitchen. Hinata was sitting at the counter island, swaying back and forth on the stool she sat on, as she braided black fabric bracelets with glass beads intertwined. Her long hair was done in a thick bun on the side of her head, keeping it out of her face as she worked—even so, a few strands had escaped and fell delicately onto the forest green, long-sleeved shirt that fell loosely around her shoulders. A smile tipped at the corner of Riku's mouth, even though he knew Hinata couldn't see it underneath his hood. He walked over and sat on a stool beside her, nudging her leg with his.

Hinata smiled at him before going back to her work. "I'm almost done making these perception filter bracelets for everyone I'll be seeing on Montressor," she told him as she threaded the black fabric through a blue glass bead. "Hopefully they will do the trick."

Riku silently nodded in response as he reached over and grabbed one of the already-finished bracelets and examined it. It was made with the same fabric as his coat, decorated with lavender beads. Each bracelet had a different color scheme—some blues, some purples; each one had been seemingly designed with a specific person in mind who would eventually wear them. A smirk teased Riku's lips as he looked them over, secretly admiring how much care and attention Hinata was putting into creating them.

Putting down the bracelet, he reached his hand over to Hinata and softly rubbed her back. She hummed in appreciation, sending him a sweet smile before returning to her work.

"I still can't believe you agreed to letting me go," she spoke up with a breathy laugh. "I really wish I knew your reasoning. Even I'm feeling a bit uneasy about it, especially after everything that happened last time I was there." Riku's hand paused against her back as she continued. "I'd feel a lot better if you were coming, too…"

Riku sighed as his hand dropped back to his side.

"But I understand why you can't," Hinata added, noticing his response. Her fingers ceased fiddling with the bracelet for a moment as her eyes fell downcast. "You've been so busy helping with Roxas in that weird synthetic town, there's no way you would be able to go on a trip right now."

Riku nodded in response, watching as she went back to braiding. She worked in silence, her eyes focused as something was obviously heavy on her mind. Riku allowed his own thoughts to wander. He wasn't completely sure why he agreed to letting Hinata go to Montressor with Sam. He was so busy with awakening Sora the last three days, he barely got to see her as it was; with her gone though, he would be able to fully focus on Roxas. Namine was nearly complete with restoring Sora's memories, and it would only be a matter of time before he was awake. Letting out another sigh, he rested his elbows on the counter and buried his face in his hands.

He stayed like that for a few minutes until he felt Hinata's soft touch as she ran her hand along his arm. He turned his head, peeking over at her to see her smiling at him. "I finished the bracelets," she told him. "I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk out in the garden with me?"

He felt a smile spread on his lips as he nodded in response, placing his hand over hers. Hinata's smile grew as she pulled back her hand and gathered the bracelets into a cloth satchel she had ready. She slung the satchel over her shoulder and slid off the stool before grabbing Riku's hand. He gave her hand a light squeeze as he led them out of the kitchen and out to the foyer. Hinata looked around as they entered before bringing her gaze to the fogged glass doors leading outside.

"It's weird not to see the ship outside," she commented as Riku pushed the door open. "Especially so early in the day."

A surprisingly warm breeze rushed around them and Hinata squinted her eyes from the bright sun. The cool winter weather was taking its leave, making way for the warmth of spring. The flowers in the garden flourished from the new heat, welcoming the sun's rays. The grass where the Highwind was usually parked was flat and yellowed, leaving an enormous oval of prickly unkempt grass surrounded with lush greenery.

"Sam will be calling when she reaches that destination point, right?" Hinata asked, glancing up at Riku beside her. "I can't remember the name of the planet." He nodded and she brought her gaze back to the flowers around them, "I really hope this all works out…"

Riku squeezed her hand and ran his thumb along hers. She let out a breath as she leaned her head against his arm as they walked. She slowed them to a stop in front of the bed of sunflowers. They were the tallest plants in the entire garden, reaching as tall as them with their golden petals spread wide and glowing from the sun. Hinata lifted her free hand, running her fingertips along the soft petals.

"You know, I don't think I've ever told you," she spoke up with a gentle voice, making Riku look over at her. Her eyes were softened as she stared at the flower in front of her. "My dad is the one that decided to name me Hinata. I've never really been one to care about what names mean or stuff like that, but my dad liked to remind me that my name meant facing the sun." She retracted her hand from the flower and pushed her hair behind her ear, "We didn't get to spend a lot of time together, but there were a couple times I would meet him at work and he would take me for a walk around the castle garden. There was a bed of sunflowers there, too, and there was one time he stopped right in front of them and told me that the sunflowers were what I was named after."

Her voice trailed off for a moment as she got lost in the memory, making Riku smile. Giving her hand a squeeze, she blinked and looked back up at him before continuing, "But, um, I never really used to understand what he meant. I mean, he always talked in riddles, so I half-figured he was just being weird." She giggled, then paused for a moment as her expression turned plain. "But, I think I get it now." Hinata looked back up at the sunflowers, a sudden gleam in her eyes. "These are the tallest flowers I've ever seen; their stems are strong and supportive, and they always face where the sunlight is strongest… It's how I want to be." She turned her gaze to Riku's with an innocent smile.

Riku stared back at her, his cheeks warmed and his heart swelling as he noticed the hopeful glow in her golden eyes. He lifted his free hand, pushing her hair behind her ear, wishing he could kiss her right there and then.

Hinata giggled and leaned into his touch. "I don't know why I just told you all that. Just thought of it. Sorry."

A sudden vibration from his coat pocket interrupted their moment. Keeping their hands clasped, Riku pulled back his hand from her neck and reached into his pocket, pulling out his communication device. He glanced up at Hinata as he pressed the center button, bringing up Sam's hologram.

"Hey Grumps-a-lot," Sam greeted with a fake salute, making Riku sigh. "We just reached the coordinates you gave Ben, so send over the goods when you're ready."

Riku nodded, cutting off the call without responding. He placed the device back in his pocket and let out a long breath.

"So, this is it then," Hinata squeezed Riku's hand. "You still alright with me going to Montressor? Just say the word and I won't go."

Riku blinked as he looked back at her, unsure how to respond.

"I-It's not that I don't want to go," Hinata admitted, averting her gaze. "This might be my last chance to see everyone on Montressor. Just feels off."

He stared at her before looking down at their clasped hands; he couldn't deny the same unease settling in his heart.

"It'll be fine," Hinata interrupted his thoughts, shaking her head to rid herself of her worries. "Let's get going."

Riku outstretched his arm beside them, sprouting a black, pulsing portal from the ground. Taking in a deep breath, Hinata walked inside, bringing Riku along with her. She looked around at the swirling darkness around them once they were inside the Corridor, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. Riku tugged on her arm as he walked on ahead of her, making her follow after him.

"I'll only be gone for a couple days at the most," Hinata spoke up to no one in particular, her eyes downcast to her feet. "It'll be fine. And once I get back, Sora will probably be awake and— oomph!"

She bumped into Riku, not realizing he had stopped walking and turned to face her. She darted her gaze up to him as he pushed back the hair in her face, making her cheeks warm.

She blinked a few times as she stared up at him before reaching up her hand and placing it over his. "Sorry," she whispered while taking in a deep breath. "You're right. Worrying won't help anything." She ran her thumb along his hand as a frown gradually deepened on her face. Averting her gaze, she focused on the light at the end of the Corridor, the knot in the pit of her stomach tightening as she swallowed hard. "I just… can't shake the feeling…" Licking her lips, she looked back up to Riku and asked seemingly out of nowhere. "When I get back… promise you'll at least start talking to me."

He took in a sharp breath, his heart fluttering with sudden nerves and his throat going dry. He could see the desperation and worry in her eyes, making him slowly nod in agreement.

The smallest hint of a smile appeared on her face as she let out a breath of relief, "Good." She looked forward and began to walk once again. "It's hard not being able to actually discuss things with you." She leaned her head against his arm as they walked. "You have a habit of making me feel better about everything when we talk."

Feeling the rumble of a chuckle in his chest made her smile grow. She fell to silence as they went the rest of the way. Their footsteps echoed together in the Corridor, yet it was somehow comforting as it reminded Hinata she wasn't alone. They slowed to a stop as they reached the light and Riku reluctantly released Hinata's hand.

He watched Hinata as she stared up at the light in front of them, her hands fidgeting in front of her while she lightly chewed on her bottom lip from nerves. Riku turned towards her and gently pushed her hair behind her ear. It had been become his main form of showing affection since he had changed. He loved the way she would immediately lean into his touch without fail, and the gesture seemed to say more than he could bare to.

As he expected, Hinata leaned into his touch the moment his fingers grazed her cheek, making him smirk. Before he could bring his hand back down to his side, she grabbed it and planted a small kiss on his gloved palm.

"I love you," she whispered, looking up to him as she released his hand.

His heart sank as he struggled not to say the same words back to her. Instead, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly. She hugged him back instantaneously, clinging her hands against his back. He kissed her forehead before pulling away.

She sweetly smiled up at him before stepping forward, disappearing into the light.

"There you are!" Sam's voice rang out before Hinata could even see where she was.

The bright light around her disappeared and Hinata spun around, seeing that she was on the deck of the Highwind. Sam was beside Ben at the navigation as Jack floated towards her, his bony tail wagging wildly. Hinata half-smiled at them as she looked out into the space surrounding them. A massive red planet was right beside them, marbled with thick blue clouds swirling over its surface. It was a breathtaking and surreal sight that was interrupted as Jack bombarded Hinata with slobbery dog kisses.

Hinata giggled, waving him away and wiping away the slobber before scratching him behind his ears. "Hey, Bud, good to see you, too."

The engines to the ship roared to life as Sam worked at the navigation. Within seconds, the ship was moving again, leaving the red planet behind. Hinata watched it shrink in the distance before the FTL Drive was activated, causing the cosmic atmosphere to melt into thin, white streaks against the blackness of space around them. With a sigh, Hinata looked towards Sam and Ben, running her hand along Jack's back.

"Welcome aboard!" Ben greeted her, waving his metal hand with a large grin. "This is the first time you've been on the ship in months!"

Hinata smiled as she walked up to the navigation. "Yeah, it's hard to believe. But it's good to be back."

"That's good," Sam smirked up at her, "'cause after Sora wakes up, you'll be back on the ship a lot."

"True," Hinata's smile slightly faltered as she looked away.

Sam noticed her expression fall and tilted her head to the side. "Hey, everything alright?"

"Just… feeling a bit off," she admitted, giving a small shrug.

"Probably just weird to be on the ship again," Sam surmised, putting the ship on autopilot. She walked out from behind the wheel and placed her hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Everything will be fine, don't worry about it!" When Hinata didn't reply right away, Sam let out a sigh and placed her hands on her hips as she continued, "We have about seven more hours until we get to Montressor, do you want to spar a bit?" Her smirk grew when she noticed Hinata's eyebrows slightly raise in interest. "I'll take that as a yes," she laughed, already moving towards the stairs to head below deck.

"I'll meet you in the sparring room in ten minutes," Hinata told her with a small laugh of her own.

She went over to the ship's railing and leaned against it, watching the streaks of stars pass by for a few peaceful minutes. Jack laid on the railing beside her hands, nuzzling into her and lightly kissing her hand with his tiny dog tongue. Hinata allowed her thoughts to wander to Riku and everything that had happened in the last few days; it seemed to all blur into a rush and was hard to comprehend. Letting out a breath, she scratched Jack behind the ears and pushed herself off the railing before turning to head below deck for a spar and well-needed relaxation.

The next seven hours passed unexpectedly quick as Hinata and Sam hung out the entire time. They spent time sparring off and on, making up for the times Sam had been off on missions and missed their daily spar sessions. By the time Ben was calling down to them that they had nearly reached their destination, it felt as if hardly any time had passed at all.

Sam ran up the stairs in excitement as Hinata followed slowly behind. They could see the familiar crescent moon spaceport from the deck as they circled around Montressor. Hinata wrapped her hands around the railing as she stared down at the planet below, feeling the familiar itch of nervousness creeping into her.

"Do you have those bracelet things?" Sam nudged her with her shoulder, getting Hinata's attention.

Hinata glanced over at her with a smile as she nodded, "Yeah, I have a satchel full of them in my room. I'll go get them after we land."

"Actually," Sam leaned her back against the railing and crossed her arms, "I didn't tell anyone you were coming with me—well, other than James when he heard my initial plan to bring you along with me, but I never actually confirmed that you were coming with."

"Oh?" Hinata tilted her head in slight confusion. "So, no one knows I'm with you?"

"Not yet," Sam shrugged. "I didn't want anyone in the Organization being able to sense their hearts if they knew you were coming. So, I told everyone that I was going to beam them up to the ship when we get here, so they can fly the ship or whatever. Then they'll see you and we can give them those perception-filter bracelets."

Hinata smirked as she thought the plan over. "Alright, makes sense. And, it makes me feel a bit better."

"Figured it would." Sam chuckled then pushed herself off the railing as she called out, "Hey Ben! You can go ahead and call Jim to let him know we're here!"

"Aye aye!" Ben saluted as he pressed a few buttons on the control board, bringing up a blue hologram of Jim. "Hiya, Jimmy! We just reached Montressor's orbit."

"Hey Ben," Jim greeted with a laugh. "We're all here. You can beam us up whenever you're ready."

"Are we sure this 'beaming' is safe?" Doppler's voice could be heard behind Jim.

Before anyone could answer him, Ben completed a few keystrokes and with a bright light a large group of people appeared on the deck of the Highwind. Doppler was beside Amelia, each of them holding two of their four children. Sarah stood behind them, her arm linked with Jim's as she darted her widened eyes around, trying to fathom that they had just teleported from the planet to a ship orbiting in space. Jim patted his hand over hers comfortingly as he immediately locked his eyes with Sam's, a smile spreading on his face.

Sam let out a breath as a grin appeared on her lips and she ran forward, embracing Jim in the middle of the group and making him stumble back a couple steps with a laugh. Sarah stepped away, removing her arm from her son's as she rolled her eyes at the couple with a smile on her face. James moved out from behind the group, a slight frown on his face from seeing his sister greet Jim before him. Letting out his own breath, he looked away and caught sight of Hinata standing beside the railing, smiling the moment their eyes met.

"I was hoping you'd make it," he greeted her, as he walked away from the group. Running his hand along a leather bag he had slung over his shoulder, he chuckled, "I figured you were the reason Sam wanted us to come up to the ship."

Hinata smiled in return, "Yeah, I made some stuff that will keep the Organization from finding you guys; Sam thought it would be best if you all came up to the ship first so we could give them to you."

His smile faltered a bit as he crossed his arms. "Those Organization guys are still bothering you?"

"More than ever," Hinata admitted with a faint, bitter laugh.

She looked past James towards the rest of the group. Doppler and Amelia had placed their children on the ground, allowing them to run freely around the ship. The children had at least tripled in size since Hinata had seen them last, growing much faster than a human child. Hinata smiled to herself as she watched them explore the ship with their childlike curiosity, her thoughts going back to Riku's vision.

"Hey, you there?" James' voice brought her out of her daydreams and, with a slight shake of her head, she brought her gaze back to see him smiling expectantly at her.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," she chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish smile. "A bit distracted." She looked him over, noticing the brown leather case slung over his shoulder. Motioning her head towards it, she asked, "What's with the bag?"

James ever so slightly pulled the bag closer to him, his cheeks warming as he cleared his throat, "Oh, uh, something I wanted to show you, but, uh, later."

Hinata narrowed her eyes a bit, resisting the urge to press him further. Instead she looked away and chuckled, "Fine, have it your way."

"It is good to see you, Hinata," Doppler interrupted their conversation as he walked up to Hinata with one of his daughters in his arms. "I wasn't expecting you to come along with Sam."

"Great to see you too, Doc," Hinata greeted, holding out her arms as the child in Doppler's hold reached out to her. "Hey, Alexandria," Hinata spoke to her with a sweet soft voice, "you remember me?" She gasped as Alexandria immediately hugged her, but then chuckled, "She's still as cuddly as ever."

"Oh, you have no idea," Amelia laughed, walking up to join their conversation. "Putting her to bed can be a nightmare."

James cleared his throat as he stepped back to give them some space, sending Hinata a small smile before he walked away. Hinata barely watched him leave before going back to talk with Amelia and Doppler.

"I must say I was surprised to see you here, as well," Amelia told her, holding out her arm to stop her son from running too fast on the deck. She lightly scolded him before looking back to Hinata.

"Yeah, sorry for not letting you guys know beforehand," Hinata apologized, readjusting Alexandria in her arms. "With everything that happened last time I was here, Sam figured it would be safest not to let anyone know I was coming."

"A precaution I fully agree with," Amelia nodded, keeping her eyes on the rest of her children.

"Regardless, we are thrilled to see you," Doppler told her as he reached into his maroon coat pocket. He pulled out a large white medicine bottle. "I also made sure to bring a full new prescription of the sleeping medicine, per Sam's request."

"Oh, thank goodness," Hinata replied a bit more eager than she intended as she carefully supported the child in her arms with one arm and reached out her other hand. "I've been needing these more than ever."

She noticed their concerned looks from her remark and cleared her throat as she brought her gaze up to them. Amelia's feline ears were slightly lowered on her head as she examined Hinata's demeanor.

"Is everything going alright back in your galaxy?" Doppler began to lightly pry, his voice a bit quieter, but kind.

Hinata looked between them, internally questioning how much she should share with them. She tightened her hold around Alexandria, welcoming the warmth and comfort of her tiny arms wrapped around the back of her neck as she swallowed. "N-not exactly," she confessed with a quiet voice. "Just a lot of stuff happening at once."

"Are you safe?" Amelia asked.

"Relatively?" Hinata met her eyes with a slight smirk that quickly faltered. "It's complicated."

"Forgive my forwardness," Amelia cleared her throat, continuing, "but how are you and Riku faring?"

A smile tipped at the corner of Hinata's lips at the mention of Riku's name, despite the slight sink in her heart that followed suit. "He's doing everything he can to keep me safe. There's been a lot of crazy things going on, but… he's kept me sane. So… I think we're doing alright."

Amelia's round nose twitched from her answer, her cat eyes looked her over, knowing there was much more that Hinata wasn't sharing. Not wanting to overstep her bounds, she let out a faint sigh and confessed, "I do wish we could provide more aid." Hinata looked up to her as Amelia focused her eyes on her daughter in Hinata's arms. "When you were taken during your last visit, there was hardly anything Delbert or I could do. And now you have returned once again with even more weight upon your shoulders…" With a slight scoff mixed with a breathy bitter laugh, she met her gaze with Hinata's. "One would think that as a captain of my own fleet, I would be of more use."

Doppler rested his hand along her shoulder in comfort, as Hinata reassured her, "It's not your fault. Most of the things going on with me are things that shouldn't even be part of your galaxy; it's not your guys' fight." She moved her gaze towards the rest of the group still conversing on the deck and smiled to herself. "But… I really appreciate the support from you and everyone else. That means more than you might think."

"We'll always be here for you," Doppler assured her, smiling warmly when Hinata met his gaze.

"I know," she smiled in return. "Thank you. It means a lot."

"Hey, Hinata!" Sam called over, getting their attention. As the group turned to face Sam coming over with Jim in tow, she continued, "Want to get the perception bracelets so we can get back down to Montressor?"

"Sure," Hinata nodded. "Just one sec." She ran her hand softly against Alexandria's back, who was close to falling asleep in her arms. "Hey, sweetie, I have to go get something. Want to go back to your mom?"

Alexandria tightened her arms around her for a moment. "I don't wanna leave, Hina…" she spoke with a soft, slurred voice, her words broken and poorly pronounced.

Amelia sighed, "Now, Alexandria, you can't cling to every person that holds you." She reached forward and grabbed her daughter by the waist. "Come now, it's about time for your nap."

With a slight whine, Alexandria turned around and went into her mother's arms, not without looking back at Hinata with large pouty eyes, causing her to stifle a laugh.

Clearing her throat, Hinata sidestepped away from them. "I'll be right back."

She turned and headed below deck, hearing everyone's muffled voices above her as she went into her room. Closing the bedroom door behind her, she took a moment and leaned back against it while taking in a deep breath. As exciting as it was to see everyone again, it wore on her. She still couldn't shake the heavy weight in her heart that seemed to be constantly present. Closing her eyes, she wished Riku were with her, if for no other reason than to give her a warm and comforting embrace, to let her know that everything was going to be alright. Swallowing hard, she opened her eyes and looked towards the bed, noticing her cloth satchel set on top of it. She pushed herself off the door and grabbed it, glancing inside at the bracelets before heading back up to the deck.

"Everything alright?" James whispered to he as she came back up. He placed his hand along her shoulder, looking her over. "You seem on edge."

Hinata paused and looked up at him, meeting her eyes with his before darting them away. "Sorry, I don't know what's up. A lot going on, I guess."

James' expression fell from her solemn response, and he opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by Sam as she came jogging up to them. "Are you sure you made enough?"

Bringing her gaze to Sam and straining a smile, Hinata nodded. "Yeah. Even made some for the kiddos."

"Perfect," Jim smirked, putting his arm around Sam. "I was wondering about that. Especially with how attached Alexandria is to you."

James took in a deep breath from Jim's affection towards his sister and looked away, catching Hinata's attention. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly, before looking back to Sam and Jim with a chuckle, "Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. Speaking of which..." Pulling the satchel in front of her, Hinata opened it and rummaged around, before revealing a bracelet with jade-green glass beads. She held it out to Jim, "This one is for you."

Jim's smile grew as he took it from her and examined it. "So… this is really supposed to keep the Organization from sensing our hearts?"

"There's a perception filter in the fabric," Sam explained to him, grabbing the bracelet from him and putting it around his wrist. "They won't be able to tell where you are, but it's not so powerful that people can't see you."

"Can't see me?" Jim repeated, looking between Hinata and Sam.

"Like that mouse that came to the hospital," James reminded him, joining the conversation. His arms were crossed as he continued, "King Mickey, or something like that."

"You guys got to meet him?" Hinata asked with interest, getting nods in return.

Jim brought his hand to his chin as he thought it over. "That's right, I couldn't see him at first when he entered the room with you."

"That was because of that black coat he was wearing," Sam explained, motioning towards Hinata. "Riku wears the same thing."

Hinata nodded, "Yeah, these bracelets are made of the same material, but they aren't as powerful."

"Cool," Jim shrugged with a smirk, putting his arm back down at his side.

"Where's mine?" James asked, making Hinata chuckle.

"I forgot how impatient you are," she mumbled as she rummaged through her satchel.

"Am not," he scoffed, rolling his eyes with a smirk.

"Here you are!" Hinata chimed, pulling out a bracelet with gray-purple glass beads and dropped it gently into his open palm.

"Huh," James smiled as he looked it over. "How'd you know my favorite color?"

"Lucky guess," she shrugged a bit smugly.

"Or I told her," Sam remarked, snickering when Hinata darted her attention towards her with a slight scowl.

"Whatever," Hinata rolled her eyes as she turned away to continue handing out the perception bracelets. "I guessed and she said I was right."

The group continued talking amongst themselves as she went and brought each person on the deck their own personalized bracelet. They each thanked her, especially Doppler and Amelia's children, that hopped up and down with excitement that their 'Auntie Hina' had made them personalized gifts.

"I do hope these weren't much trouble for you to make," Sarah commented to her as Hinata gifted her the jewelry adorned with sky-blue glass beads.

"Oh, it really wasn't that bad," Hinata assured her with a laugh, waving her off. "They gave me something to do."

"Now that everyone has one," Sam spoke up, getting everyone's attention, "we can probably head back down to Montressor." Turning towards her brother, she asked, "Is there enough room in the shop's garage to park the Highwind?"

"Oh," James realized as he rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile, "didn't realize you'd want to park it there. It's a bit full right now."

"It's a mess," Jim muttered to Sam, making her get a scowl.

"A mess?!" she exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips. "What's been going on to make such a mess?"

"Well, I'm usually really busy with all the paperwork," James explained with a shrug, "and none of the workers want to stay after close to make sure everything's cleaned up... So—"

"Ugh," Sam grumbled, turning and walking over to navigation. "Ben, can you beam me back down to the shop? I apparently need to do some cleaning before we land."

"Sure thing!" Ben chimed, leaving the sides of the children and jogging back over to the navigation. "Anyone else want to go along?"

"My mom and I will go back," Jim stepped forward. "I'll do what I can to help clear the shop."

"Thank you," Sam sweetly smiled at him, before sending a slight glare towards James.

"Don't give me that look," James grumbled, rolling his eyes and looking away. "I'm not the one that ran off to God-knows-where…"

Doppler cleared his throat before anyone could respond to James' comment, "We will go back as well, but unfortunately will not be able to help with cleaning the shop."

"That's alright, Doc. Thanks," Sam assured him.

"I'll stay on the ship," Hinata spoke up. "If that's alright."

"Sure, that's fine," Sam waved her off. "It isn't really your mess to clean up anyways."

"I'll go down in a few," James added, immediately noticing the glare from Sam. He put up his hands in surrender and admitted, "I'll be there soon! I just wanted to do something first."

Letting out a heavy sigh, Sam rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. But you better come back to help."

"I promise, alright?" he replied with his own voice heavy with annoyance.

"Everyone ready then?" Ben asked with his voice bright and cheerful, cutting through the tension.

Getting a general voice of agreement in response, he pressed a large button and a bright flash of light covered the deck. Within a single second, the light was gone, along with most of the group, leaving only Ben, Jack, James, and Hinata behind. Jack mildly whimpered when he saw that the children were gone and floated over to Hinata with his ears flat on his head.

"It's alright, Bud," Hinata assured him, scratching him behind the ears. "We'll get to see the kids a lot while we're here."

He nodded and nuzzled into her, before floating off to hang out with Ben. Hinata watched him for a moment with a smile before looking to James, who was standing awkwardly by the railing. Walking up to him, she leaned back against the railing and looked him over.

"Was there a reason you wanted to stay behind?" she asked him, the slightest hint of a smirk on her lips. "Or did you just want to get out of cleaning up that mess?"

James leaned his head down with a laugh, "Maybe a bit of both, honestly. It's not like I don't want to have the shop spotless, I'm just…" His expression fell as his voice trailed off.

Hinata tilted her head to the side. "What is it?"

He shook his head and quickly looked back up with his trademark charming smirk. "Nothing, just thinking."

With a roll of her eyes, Hinata pushed herself off the railing. "Well, whatever, I'm going to go put my satchel back in my room."

"I'll come with you," James scurried after her, meeting his pace with hers as they descended the stairs. "There was, uh, something I wanted to give you."

"Whatever's in that mysterious bag, huh?" she recalled, motioning her head towards the leather case slung over his shoulder.

"Heh, yeah," he replied a bit nervously, his hand tightening around the bag's strap. "It's something I've been working on in my spare time."

Hinata hummed with curiosity in response, as she opened her bedroom door and went inside. James came in after her as she tossed her satchel on top of her bed. He looked around the room with a small smile on his face until his gaze landed on her desk, seeing a necklace on top. It had polished dark blue stones making up most of it, with four cream colored shells, two on either side of a round golden locket. The locket seemed to be handmade, with an engraving of a key in the center.

"What's this?" he asked, reaching forward and picking it up to get a closer look. "Didn't take you as the jewelry type."

Hinata spun around and felt her cheeks warm as she saw him holding it. Stepping forward, she grabbed it from him and looked down at it with a smile. "Riku bought it for me on our last date." She could sense James slightly tense from her explanation, but continued regardless. "And I actually just added this locket myself, Sam made it."

"She did?" he asked a bit shortly as he looked at it over her shoulder.

"Yeah, she made one for herself, too," she nodded, running her thumb over the key engraving. "It has Riku's vision in it, the one he got from Hen Wen."

"Oh," he realized. "Sort of like Sam's vision about my dad?"

"Exactly," she smiled, turning to look up at him. "Speaking of which," she gently placed her necklace back on her desk, "I never got the chance to ask you about what you thought of Sam's vision."

"Heh," a smile grew on his face as he laughed under his breath, "I couldn't believe it at first. I mean, after all this time, finding out that he's actually out there… It's been a bit hard to wrap my head around, ya know?" He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I can only imagine," Hinata shook her head as she thought about it. "But it must be nice to know you'll get to see him again!"

His smile gradually fell as he downcast his eyes. "Yeah, maybe."

"What do you mean, maybe?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"I just…" He let out a sudden breath and turned away, placing his hands on his hips. "I can't imagine seeing him again. It's like..." He ran his hand through his hair as he spoke quickly, "My mind can't fathom being around him again. I know Sam will get to see him and talk to him… But for some reason, I don't think I will."

"Why?"

He shook his head. "I don't know."

"Don't give me that," she sighed. "You can't just say you think you'll never see him and not have a reason why."

He looked away, chewing the inside of his cheek. "Maybe…" He let out a harsh breath and outstretched his arms at his sides. "Maybe I've just accepted that he's gone. I went two years thinking he was dead and for most of it I spent it in a really bad place. And my mom… She's unrecognizable now. She fell so deep into some obsessive depression after he left… How am I supposed to tell her that he's actually alive and well on some random planet?"

"So, you're upset with him?" she surmised, stepping closer to him.

"Not exactly," he averted his gaze, licking his lips before continuing. "It's not like it's his fault he's stuck wherever he is, if he is even stuck. I just… I went through so much to get through his disappearance. I just recently got to the point where I'm starting to accept it and then Sam goes off on her crazy adventure and finds out he's somehow still alive and well…" He paused, crossing his arms. "I'm just not sure what to think about it…"

"But even after hearing that he is alive, you don't think you'll get to see him?" She walked to be in front of him, so he could see her. He met his solemn eyes with her concerned ones. "Why would you think that?"

Swallowing hard, he downcast his gaze, seeing Hinata's hands clasped in front of her. In the back on his mind, he wished he could reach forward and grab them in his, but he averted his eyes to get his thoughts elsewhere. "Sam's vision didn't show Dad back on Montressor. It didn't show me, Mom, or anyone else that would know him. Only Sam got to see him. I'm not convinced he'll want to come back. And I'm not convinced that I'll be able to handle seeing him again if he did. I've finally accepted he's gone."

"I'm sure you're just overthinking it," Hinata tried to comfort him, placing her hand along his arm, noticing the sharp breath he took in from her touch. "I get that it's a lot to take in and accept, but don't take that as a sign that you'll never see him again. I haven't heard or seen my parents in over nine years, but I still hold onto the hope that I will someday."

Letting out a breathy laugh, he placed his hand over hers, giving it a light squeeze. "Here I am going on about my petty problems and you've got it a lot worse. I couldn't imagine going through everything you have."

Hinata cleared her throat a bit uncomfortably as she retracted her hand from him. "Don't worry about it." She took a step back to allow some distance between them. James looked over at her with a sweet smile, to which she strained one in return. They stood in silence for a few seconds before Hinata motioned towards his bag. "So… uh, what did you want to show me?"

"Oh," he grabbed the bag off his shoulder and placed in on the desk, beside the necklace. "Yeah, I, uh, made you something."

"Made me something?" she asked with intrigue, coming up beside him, but making sure to keep some space between them.

"Yeah," he chuckled nervously as he unbuckled the front of the case and brought out a polished wooden box, placing it on the desk beside his bag.

Unlatching the golden clasp on the front of the box, he opened it and revealed a detailed ship model of the Highwind. He carefully lifted it out of the box, so Hinata could fully see it. Her mouth fell agape as she looked it over, noticing that he had gotten every detail meticulously precise.

"You seriously made this?" she asked him in near awe as he passed it off to her to hold.

She held it up and examined each inch of it. The sails were made of a shimmering fabric, tied to the thin wooden mast and ropes. And along the sides, little hatches opened up to reveal the ship's plasma cannons all lined up.

"Yeah," he laughed a bit awkwardly, rubbing his hands together in front of him, as his face warmed considerably. "I, uh, wanted to have it done for you for Christmas, but the shop was too busy, plus with all the shit that happened then… didn't really get much of a chance to work on it. But I've been working on it a little bit everyday since then, and I had a feeling you would be coming with Sam today; so I packed it up for you."

She smiled as she looked back up at him, "Thank you, seriously." She glanced back at the model ship. "This is one of the coolest gifts I've ever gotten."

He chuckled. "I doubt that, but no problem. I'm just relieved you like it."

"You kidding?" she asked with a laugh. "A replica of my own custom ship? That's amazing." She carefully handed it back to him. "I can't wait to display it back at the mansion."

He smirked as he turned to place it back in its wooden case, but stopped short when he heard a strange whistling sound, as if something was falling towards them. "You hear that?" he asked.

"Yeah," Hinata replied with a drawn out voice, "I wonder wha— ah!"

Her voice was drowned out by a sudden deafening crash. The ship shook violently as Hinata fell backwards, letting out an inaudible scream of fright before James caught her. They stared at each other with widened eyes, their chests heaving with heavy, frantic breaths. The shaking stopped as quickly as it had began.; the moment it was calm, Hinata pushed herself away from James and ran out of the room.

"Ben!" she yelled, about to run up the stairs towards the deck before she was stopped as Jack darted in front of her, letting out a string of barks. "What is it?" she asked him with panic in her voice.

Flying through her, he went towards the second stairwell, leading to the drive core. Hinata turned and sprinted after him, racing down the stairs and stopping short when she saw the sight below. Her breath caught as she brought her hands to her mouth. The entire drive core had been shattered. Riku's Corridor of Darkness that had been powering the FTL Drive had vanished, and panels from the side of the ship were completely broken off, giving Hinata a full view of space outside. If it hadn't been for the artificial gravity and oxygen filter programmed into the ship, everything would have been sucked out into the vaccuum of space.

"Hinata, what's going-" James ran down the stairs, coming to a halt the moment he saw what had become of the core. "What the hell happened?!"

Hinata shook her head, "I-I don't know…"

Jack barked once again, getting their attention as he floated towards the hole in the ship that led out to space. There was a shape in the distance, flying towards them at high speeds and firing bright red lasers towards them.

"Another ship?" James asked.

A sudden chill settled in Hinata's heart. She knew who it was. "Bane…" she whispered with a hoarse voice, her eyes glued to the ship swiftly approaching.

"Who?" James asked.

Without replying, Hinata turned and sprinted back up the stairs. "Ben!" she shouted once she was on deck, seeing him frantically trying to steer the ship, despite the damage. "What's going on?!"

"Our drive core has been destroyed," Ben relayed, his eyes covered with code as his metal fingers worked so swiftly over the navigation that it was difficult to see them. "The shields were reduced to allow the beam technology to-"

The ship rocked from another impact from the oncoming lasers as they met their mark, but they fizzled away against a shimmering shield that surrounded the ship. Hinata grabbed the edge of the control board to keep her balance as Ben stood perfectly tall, unfazed by the motion.

"-to bring up a large group of people to the ship at once," Ben immediately continued once the tremors had passed. "I put them back up to full power after the initial hit."

"Good," Hinata nodded, trying to quell her racing heart and focus on the task at hand. "I think it's Bane."

"As do I," Ben agreed, completely serious as he was fully entranced by navigating the ship and alluding fire. "Without the FTL Drive, we are unable to properly flee."

Hinata let out a shaking breath, bracing herself as another set of lasers hit the shield. She looked towards the oncoming ship; it was still too far away to decipher its full size and capabilities. "We're going to have to fight then," she told him, feeling her skin pale at her own words. "Can you beam James back to Montressor?"

Ben shook his head, "Not without keeping the ship completely still. It's impossible to do so during a firefight."

"Alright," Hinata quickly replied, coming around the control board. "Go below deck, get James to help you ready the plasma cannons. I'll pilot the ship."

Ben blinked, the code disappearing from his eyes, "But-"

"NOW!" Hinata ordered him, making him back off and immediately sprint below deck.

She could hear him relaying the ordered to James as she grabbed the controls. Her heart drummed in her ears, almost as loud as the laser blasts that pummeled into the shield.

"I can do this," she whispered, her voice trembling as she desperately tried to recall all the piloting lessons Sam had given her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the bright red lasers barreling towards them. Grabbing the wheel, she did a hard right, causing them to whiz right past, barely grazing the outside of the shield. A set of yellow plasma blasts emerged from her own ship, firing towards the enemy. The sight trickled a bit of confidence into Hinata as she tightened her hands around the wheel and continued to steer in every direction, making sure to give Ben and James as clear of shots as she could manage, while keeping a good distance between them and their pursuers.

A shrill ring caused Hinata to twitch out of her intense concentration, and glancing up, she noticed the ship's communication module was lighting up. Diving the ship under an attack, she reached forward and activated the call.

Sam's hologram flickered above the control board, fizzing in and out of connection. "What's g-ing on? Some s- of fire storm? We can see fla-hes of light..."

Hinata stumbled back as a pair of lasers hit the shield, being too distracted to get out of the way. She shook her head, getting back to the wheel and looked behind her towards the oncoming ship. It was much closer now, long and at least four times the size of the Highwind. Through the sweaty, tear-filled sheen over her eyes, Hinata could make out smaller ships flying out of the main ship, coming straight towards them.

"Shit…" she muttered, choking on her words as she went back to the controls and fully pushed down the handle for the acceleration.

"Hello?!" Sam's voice called out. "What's g-ing on?!"

"Bane found me!" Hinata cried, tightening her hands around the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. "I-I don't know how, but he already destroyed the Drive and we can't-" She stopped short, trying to catch her ragged breath as tears overtook her voice. "We can't get James back to you! I-I don't know what to do!"

"Oh, my God," Sam brought her hands to her mouth and quickly ran her hand through her hair, trying to keep herself from going into a panic attack. "Alright, I'll get in one of my ships and be right there. Just hold out—" The connection wavered before flickering out completely.

"Sam?!" Hinata called out in desperation, yelling in fright as a slew of lasers hit the shield; the smaller ships were now encircling them. "This can't be happening," she shook her head, as if trying to wake from a dream.

She rocked back and forth as lasers were constantly bombarding them. She could see the occasional yellow laser blast from their own ship, taking out one of the enemy ships, but they were instantly replaced by another ship.

"The shields can't take much more of this," Hinata whispered, looking over at the control board. The shield capacitors on the screen were flashing red, ready to shatter at any moment. Taking in sharp breath, Hinata slammed her hand on the communicator. "Call Riku!" she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.

A few seconds passed before Riku's weak hologram appeared, but it dissipated immediately from another violent rock of the ship before a word from either of them could be spoken.

"No!" she exclaimed, the moment he was gone. She tried to reach forward to call again, but another set of shots rocked the ship.

Hinata fell back, her hands losing their grip on the wheel. Before she could scramble back to her feet, a crackling shatter filled the air. Looking up, Hinata saw the shimmering shield breaking away, pieces falling away like glass before disappearing into thin air.

"No, no, no!" Hinata yelled, getting to her feet to once again grab the wheel. "I'm not going to let him get-"

She was interrupted as a laser fired directly into the deck, barely feet away from Hinata. The blast from the impact shattered the metal on the deck and sent Hinata flying back with a scream. She slammed into the railing of the ship, knocking the wind from her lungs and her vision tunneled as everything around her instantly faded to black.


	43. Captured

Chapter 43

***Recap: On a trip to Montressor, Sam and Hinata are reunited with their friends and family. Sam beamed everyone up to the Highwind, which is orbiting around Montressor, and has Hinata give each of them perception filtered bracelets to keep the Organization from sensing their hearts. They are not aware, however, that Cad Bane is already on their trail.

Shortly after Sam beams back down to Montressor with a majority of the group, Cad Bane suddenly attacks in his own ship. Hinata desperately tries to keep the ship out of Bane's grasp, but with little experience in firefights and the FTL Drive being destroyed, it's only a matter of time before they are captured. After the Highwind's shields are destroyed, a laser blast from the enemy hits the deck, sending Hinata flying back and being knocked unconscious.***

"No!" Hinata suddenly cried out, sitting up the moment her mind regained consciousness.

Her vision was blurred and her head throbbed with immeasurable pain; she felt herself sway side to side in a daze, trying to piece together what was happening. She darted her gaze around, realizing she was no longer on the Highwind, but in a dark room. A warm hand slid onto her shoulder, making her startle. With a gasp, she lifted her hand to swat it away, but realized both her hands were bound together with thick metal cuffs. Her breath became ragged as she realized she was imprisoned.

"Hinata," James' voice cut through the haze of pain and panic coursing through her. "Hinata, I'm here, you're alright."

"J-James?" Her voice was trembling and hoarse.

She looked around again, her vision finally beginning to clear. Thin, green lights were lined against the metal walls that surrounded them. They were so dimly lit, Hinata could barely make out the familiar copper of Ben slumped over on the ground across the room. His eyes were barely open, blue and solemn as he stared at the floor in silence.

"I'm right here," James softly spoke again, behind her.

She turned around, seeing James sitting right next to her. They sat together on a long metal bench that went from one side of the room to the other. His hands were bound just like Hinata's and she could see purpled bruises across his skin.

"James," she gasped, turning her body fully around to face him. Her widened eyes looked him over, taking notice of every bruise and cut. "What did they do to you?"

A watery sheen was over his eyes as he averted his gaze and shook his head. "I'm fine-" His voice cracked and wavered, giving away his obvious lie. "They were trying to take you, and I tried to stop them."

"Who?" she asked, her own voice wavering.

"It was Bane," Ben spoke up, his voice dull and quiet. He pushed himself to stand and walked over, dragging his feet along the floor. Hinata looked over as he stood in front of them, his eyes still blue and downcast from them. "Once the Highwind's shield was destroyed, the smaller ships retreated and Bane's ship was able to catch up."

"We came up to the deck once we realized the ship wasn't moving anymore," James continued for Ben, his own gaze averted from Hinata's. "That's when we found you laying unconscious." His hands tightened as his breath caught. "So, I carried you down below and Ben tried to fly the ship to safety, but it was too late."

Hinata swallowed hard. "I-is the Highwind gone?"

Both James and Ben shook their heads. "No, thankfully not," Ben replied, his metal hands fidgeting in front of him. "They attached the Highwind to their ship and pulled us into their hangar bay."

"That's good news at least." Hinata did her best to strain a smile, but it soon fell the more she thought about their predicament. "So… The Highwind got put in the hangar bay. Who came aboard to find us?"

"A bunch of weird robots," James explained, shaking his head and shivering at the memory. "They weren't anything like the ones I've seen… They started tearing the ship apart, looking for us. I locked all of us in your room, but it was only a matter of time…" He could feel Hinata's widened eyes boring into him as he took in a deep breath, before continuing with a quivering voice. "Um, after they broke down the door, I tried to keep them back, but," he scoffed, "there wasn't really much I could do. So, uh, they beat me up a bit until I cooperated and they took us all prisoner…"

"James," Hinata reached forward and placed her cuffed hands over his, "I-I'm so sorry…" A lump formed in her throat, making it difficult to breath as she lowered her head and began to quietly sob. "I… I should have been there to help… I shouldn't have even come to Montressor with Sam, I just…" Her voice trailed off with a whimper, tears dripping from her face down to their clasped hands.

"Don't, please don't," James pleaded, tears in his weakened voice. "This wasn't your fault, alright?"

"He's right, Hinata," Ben stepped forward, his eyes a bit brighter as he tried to comfort her. "There's no way we could have expected Bane to find us. I thought Sam's plan was fool proof."

Hinata shook her head. "No, no. I knew something was wrong before I even left for Montressor." She sniffled and tightened her hands around James'. "I should have listened to my gut and stayed at the mansion, so then… then none of this would have happened."

"There's no sense playing the what-if game, alright?" James' voice broke as he spoke, making him clear his throat. Hinata brought her gaze up to him, seeing the tears in his eyes as he struggled to smile at her. "You're going to find a way out of this. You always do."

"I don't know if I can," she admitted, her voice breaking at the end. "I don't even know where we are… or what's going to happen…" Her voice trailed off as she looked down at their hands, only then noticing what she was wearing. "My… gauntlets?"

"Yeah," James let out a weak laugh. "I found them in your room and put them on you before we got boarded."

Hinata took in a deep breath, feeling a sudden trickle of confidence flowing through her. "You were thinking ahead, weren't you?"

"Figured they might come in handy," he admitted, running his thumb along her hand.

"Don't get any ideas," she half-heartedly tried to tease him as she withdrew her hands from his and sat up a bit straighter. She took in a long breath, trying to reign in her emotions.

James chuckled, obviously trying to do the same. He looked up towards the metal ceiling and let out a breath. "We're going to be alright," he assured her. "Just keep telling yourself that."

Hinata looked around before asking, "Ben, where's Jack?"

"Oh," Ben's eyes brightened once more, their color almost back to the familiar cheery yellow. "He's been exploring the ship since we got here-you know, since he can go through walls and all."

Letting out a sudden scoff, Hinata shook her head. "I don't know how I always forget he can do that… He might be the biggest help we can get right now."

"And Sam's looking for us, too!" Ben reminded her, pointing one of his long fingers up, "I saw her ship right before we got captured."

"Maybe she's following Bane, then," James smirked.

"Let's just hope they don't notice her ship," Hinata pointed out. "They tore apart the Highwind in minutes."

"She's smart," James waved her off, not daring to even acknowledge the thought. "She'll be fine."

A small bark caught their attention as they looked over and noticed Jack coming through the wall with a thin, metal stick in his mouth. His tail began to wag wildly when he saw Hinata was awake. He nuzzled into her, licking her cheek before going over to James and dropping the stick in his hand.

"Thanks, Boy," James whispered to him. "That's exactly what I needed."

"A stick?" Hinata asked, using her shoulder to wipe away Jack's slobber from her cheek.

"I'll explain in a sec," James told her, holding out his hands. "Can you activate your blade?"

Her eyebrows raised in intrigue as a smirk appeared on her lips. "I think I see where you're going with this."

Holding out her own hands, she clenched her hand in the correct position. The metal cuffs made it difficult as they went all the way up to their wrists, but she managed as a bright, blue laser blade appeared from the top of her gauntlet.

She let out a quiet laugh and shook her head. "It feels so good to do that again." Clearing her throat, she turned and carefully tipped her blade against the metal cuffs that tightly encased James' wrists.

The metal whistled and turned a bright orange, melting apart as Hinata slowly sliced through. James winced, making her pause.

"It's fine," he assured her, keeping his voice down. "The metal's just hot."

With a nod, she kept slicing through, trying to ignore the way James squirmed from the heat. She let out a breath of relief when the cuff fell slack, immediately falling off of James' wrists. Ben caught them before the heavy, hot metal hit the ground and carefully placed them on the bench beside them.

Letting out a breath of relief, James rubbed his hands around his wrists gratefully. "Never knew how much I'd miss being able to move my hands freely."

Hinata made her blade disappear as she smirked, but then froze when she noticed the obvious burns on the underside of his wrists, where the blade had cut through the metal. "James," she whispered, reaching forward and managing to grab one of his hands to examine the damage.

"I'm fine," he assured her, unable to stop himself from wincing as he felt the cool air stinging his burn. "It's not that bad."

"Still though," she sighed, releasing his hand. "I'm sorry."

He rolled his eyes in an exaggerated fashion, trying to lighten the situation. He grabbed the metal stick Jack had retrieved for him off his lap and reached forward for Hinata's hands. "Don't worry about it," he assured her as he found a tiny lock in the thick cuffs and stuck the metal stick inside of it.

Hinata watched him for a moment as he carefully tilted the stick from side to side with a focused look in his eyes. "You know how to lockpick like Sam?"

He scoffed, glancing up at her. "Who do you think taught her?"

"Oh," Hinata realized, her face warming with a bit of embarrassment. "I guess I've never thought about it."

"You tend to learn these sort of tricks growing up on the streets of Montressor," he told her with a distracted tone as he focused on delicately working the lock.

Hinata smirked at the thought. "Why do I get the idea that you used to get into all sorts of trouble as a kid?"

"'Cause I did." He glanced up at her with a smirk, making her lightly chuckle in response.

"You'll have to tell me some stories when we get out of here," she told him with a quiet voice, her heart sinking as she looked around the prison cell. "Well.. If we do."

"Don't talk like that," he warned her with a whisper, squeezing her hand.

Hinata remained silent, lightly chewing her bottom lip from stress as she watched James work on undoing her cuffs. A faint click brought her out of her thoughts and she felt the weight of the metal release from her hands. She let out a sigh of relief as James pulled the cuffs off her wrists.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, rubbing her hands over her sore wrists.

"Yeah," he half-smiled back at her as he stood up. "Alright… We need to figure out how to get out of here." He began pacing around the room while Hinata silently watched him. "You were out for about an hour... and, shortly after they threw us in here, there was some sort of power surge. So I don't think we're anywhere near Montressor now." He stopped walking and turned towards the group. "I say we get back to the ship and fly to the nearest planet. If we can get to the ship unnoticed, we might have a chance to get there without them shooting us down."

Hinata swallowed hard, her hands tightening in her lap. "Is the Highwind even flyable anymore?"

"It wouldn't be fast," Ben spoke up, "but it would be able to fly."

Shaking her head, Hinata placed her hands on the cool metal bench beside her. "It's too risky. There's bound to be guards or those robots all over the hangar bay. Even if we somehow manage to get to the ship unnoticed, they're sure to hear the engines starting up."

"We can't just sit here," James bit with a tinge of annoyance in his voice, crossing his arms.

"I'm not saying we should," Hinata stood up and walked over to him. "I'm just saying we need to be smart about this." She looked away and added with a softer voice, "No more rushing into things."

James stared at her, his frustration melting away. "You're right…"

Hinata looked back up at him, straining a smile as she stepped away and began walking around the cell. She went up to the door; the entire wall it was attached to was at an odd angle, leaning into the cell. Placing her hand along the door, she thought aloud. "My blades can probably slice through the door…"

"But then what?"James asked. "You just said we can't get back to the Highwind."

"I said we can't fly it without being noticed," Hinata corrected him without glancing away from the door. "But," she put her hand to her chin, "maybe we don't need to fly the ship all the way to a planet."

"What do you mean?" James asked, walking up beside her.

"Ben," Hinata turned around to face them, "how close do we need to be to a planet to beam to it?"

"Just close enough that we can see it," Ben explained, his metal finger tapping against his chin. "As long as the ship is standing still and I put in the coordinates, we can beam down."

"And I'm guessing the beam button you made on your chest isn't working right now?" Hinata asked, glancing up at James beside her as he looked between them fully confused.

Ben's eyes dimmed a bit as he ran his hand over his chest compartment. "No… It's not. None of my communication or beaming circuits are working. I think this ship is somehow scrambling them."

"So, we'll actually have to find the ship then," Hinata sighed, turning back towards the door.

"Can you explain what you're thinking?" James whispered to her. "I have no idea what you guys are talking about."

"I'm thinking that we basically go with your plan," she glanced up at him, "but instead of trying to fly to a planet on a broken ship, we just get the ship out of the hangar bay and immediately beam down to the nearest planet."

"Leaving the ship behind?" he asked with a frown.

She slowly nodded, letting out a breath. "It's not what I want to do, obviously, but… We don't really have much of a choice. No matter how sneaky we are, they're going to notice us flying away. They'll be shooting us down within seconds and the ship's shields are already destroyed."

He ran a hand through his hair as he looked away and sighed. "Sam won't be too happy about us losing the ship."

"I think she'll be thankful we survived, at the very least," Hinata retorted, giving him the slightest smirk when he looked back at her. Looking between the group, she asked, "So, what do you guys think? It's still risky, obviously, but I think it's our best bet."

"We could try taking over this ship," James suggested half-jokingly.

"Yeah, right," she scoffed. "I'm the only one that can fight between the four of us. Who knows how many of those robots Bane has?"

"Well… what about an escape pod?" he suggested, motioning one of his hands towards her. "The ship's obviously big enough to have them."

"That runs the same risk as trying to fly out the Highwind," she sighed, shaking her head. "They'd see us on navigation and shoot us down before we could get anywhere."

"I think your idea could work," Ben spoke up, cutting off their banter. "Jack could be our navigator to the hangar bay since he can go on ahead. And if we're lucky enough to get to the ship without being noticed, I could get the coordinates in the ship computer before we fly it out, so we'll be able to beam to the nearest planet a lot faster."

"Perfect," Hinata nodded, standing a bit straighter as she felt more confident. Looking up to James, she smirked a bit and asked, "You ready then?"

He strained a smile and shortly nodded.

"Jack," Hinata looked over at her ghost dog curled up on the metal bench. Once he peeked up his bony head, she asked, "Can you check to see if there are any guards by our door?"

With a quiet bark, he floated up and went through the wall, barely poking his head out on the other side before coming back in. He looked over to Ben and barked, to which Ben nodded.

"There aren't any in the hall right now," Ben relayed the information.

"Good," Hinata clenched her hands, instantly bringing out her plasma blades.

She walked up the three steps in front of the cell door and pierced her blades into it, hearing the high pitched whistle as the metal turned bright orange. With a bit of struggle, she moved both of her blades in a downward strike. As she reached the floor, she pulled back, allowing the melted metal to fall off her blades before slicing across the top of the door. With a creak, the metal door began to fall towards her as it became loose. She deactivated her blades as she stepped back, readying her hands to catch the door.

"Move," James placed his hand on her arm, softly pushing her away to stand in her spot.

She gave him a look, but did as he said, watching as the door fell back and James caught it with ease. He made sure to keep his hands in the center of the metal, far from the melted corners.

"I'm impressed," she told him with a hushed voice as he carefully placed the door on the floor, making sure to not let it make a sound.

He laughed under his breath as he stood back up straight and rubbed his hands together. "See? I'm not completely useless."

"Let's hope no one comes to check on us anytime soon…" Hinata muttered as she glanced at the sliced door.

"We'll just have to be quick," James told her.

She nodded before going forward and peeking out of their cell into the long hallway. Cell doors, just like their own, were lined on either side of the hall, with red lights above each one. Hinata slowly stepped out, keeping her hand flat behind her as if to tell the others to wait before following. Once she was sure the way was clear, she stood back up straight and motioned for them to follow. Jack floated to her side as Ben and James followed closely behind.

"Alright, boy," Hinata whispered to Jack, "where to?"

Jack floated on forward, reaching a large metal door with a control panel beside it. He floated through it, quickly retracting and barking softly to Ben.

"There's a couple robots on the other side," Ben relayed the info with a hushed voice.

Hinata took in a deep breath. "Okay, you guys stay here until I come get you, alright?"

She reached towards the control board, about to press the center blue button before James grabbed her hand. She darted her gaze up to him questioningly, seeing the obvious frown on his lips.

"Be careful," he whispered.

She placed her other hand over his, assuring him, "I will, I promise."

He reluctantly released her hand, allowing her to press the main button on the control board. A round module in the center of the door began to turn counter-clockwise in response to Hinata interacting with the control panel. With a loud click, it stopped and the door parted in the center, the sides sliding away to allow Hinata passage into the following hall.

It was brightly lit, making Hinata momentarily squint her eyes as she walked through. It was metal like the rest of the ship, with four separate paths to take. She slowed to a stop and summoned her blades as the door slid closed behind her. She heard footsteps around the corner, but didn't see any of the robots Jack had warned her about.

"Did you hear a door open?" a robotic voice asked around the corner.

"It was probably the Commander," an almost exact-sounding voice responded, "but we'd better check it out."

"Roger, roger," the same voice agreed.

Hinata readjusted her footing, looking between the four paths, waiting for the robots to appear out of any one of them. A sudden tan color caught the corner of her eye and she darted her gaze to the far right path, spotting two tan robots coming into view. Her eyes widened as she immediately recognized them from as the robots she had seen in Sam's vision.

Their heads were narrow with two black slits on either side of their face. A large pack was attached to the backs of their lanky bodies with two antennas coming off the tops. Black guns were tightly clasped in their three-fingered hands as they scanned the area.

"Hey!" The robots startled to a stop, immediately pointing their black guns towards Hinata. "You aren't supposed to be out of your cell!"

"I decided to take a walk?" she told them with a shrug and a sheepish smile.

"Blast her!" one of the robots yelled, just about to fire its gun.

Hinata gasped, running forward and jabbing her blades into their thin metal stomachs, before either of them could get a shot in. They sparked with electricity as they slung forward, their voices drowning out to silence. She deactivated her blades and stepped back, feeling the trickle of guilt settling into her gut. Forcing herself to look away, she went over to the control board and opened the door for the others.

James rushed in and immediately pulled Hinata into a hug, before even looking at the dead robots beside her. "I was starting to get worried," he told her.

"I'm fine," she told him, gently pushing him off of her. "We need to hide their bodies, so they won't get noticed."

He froze as he looked over at the metal husks. "Wait… Weren't those-"

"In Sam's vision? Yes," Hinata finished for him, picking up one of the robots and handing it to him. "Go put this back in our cell."

He wordlessly nodded as he turned around and followed her orders. As he walked away, Hinata began picking up the other one, then noticed Ben watching her. She paused, feeling the guilt rising up again. "I'm… sorry I killed them, Ben," she muttered to him, averting her gaze when he looked at her.

"You didn't have much of a choice," he replied with a sigh. "I would have done the same thing if I could."

"That would be a sight," Hinata replied with a breathy chuckle as she went back to her cell. As she reached the doorway, she handed James the droid so he could put it down on the ground.

"I might be able to scan them," Ben walked forward and knelt in front of the robots.

"What good would that do?" James asked, not getting a response.

Ben's eyes flickered a bright yellow, shining a spotlight that completely covered the robots. After a few seconds, he told them. "They are Battle Droids, belonging to a group called… The Separatists."

"So, Bane must be part of this Separatist group then," Hinata surmised.

"Hmm, no," Ben shook his head. "At least not according to this droid's memory bank. This isn't even his ship, belongs to… the Bank Federation."

"But he's somehow in charge anyways… Right?" James asked. "'Cause I thought that blue guy that came on the ship was him."

"It probably was him," Hinata sighed, crossing her arms. "He's a mercenary, so it's possible he stole this ship and programmed the droids to follow his command…"

"Or he did a mission for this bank place and got the ship as payment," James suggested.

"It doesn't really matter how he got the ship," Hinata waved him off. "Whatever happened, he's the one calling the shots, which makes him even more dangerous." With an inward groan, she ran her hands over her face. Taking in a deep breath, she asked, "Ben, can you get a map off the droid? This place is a maze. We'll be wandering aimlessly, even with Jack's help."

"Somewhat," Ben told her, his voice distracted as he blinked, making the scan light disappear. He stood back up and turned towards them, bringing up a glowing hologram of the ship. Each room was a glowing, yellow rectangle, connected by thin lines. "Nothing's labeled, but I assume this area will most likely be the hangar bay." He pointed one of his fingers towards a glowing rectangle that took up a majority of the bottom floor of the ship.

"I agree," James nodded, crossing his arms as he examined the map. "We just need to know where we are on this thing."

Hinata opened her mouth to speak, but stopped short when she heard the sound of a door sliding open. She took in a sharp breath as she spun around and rushed over to the cell door, peeking out to see four droids coming their way. Swallowing hard, she glanced back at the others, bringing a finger to her lips and getting a nod in response.

"I wonder what happened to B1-487," one of the droids spoke up as they walked down the hall. "They weren't at their post!"

"Do you think the prisoners escaped?" another one asked. "Maybe they killed him!"

"One way to find out," a third spoke up.

"Roger, roger," the others agreed in unison.

Hinata took in a deep breath, leaning against the wall as she heard them approaching. James went forward to be with her, but stopped abruptly when Hinata caught his gaze and shook her head.

"What the..." one of the droids exclaimed, finally seeing the broken doorway. "Ahh-!"

Before it could finish its sentence, Hinata reached out and grabbed the front droid by the neck, yanking it inside the cell and slamming it to the ground. She stomped on its head with her heel, denting its metal with a spray of sparks as she activated her blade and impaled it through the chest. She gasped as a red laser shot went right past her, barely missing her shoulder. Glaring back up, she saw the other droids training their guns right at her. Jumping up, she ran out of the cell, slicing through the first droid and kicking another square in the chest, making it stumble back with a yelp. She spun towards the last standing droid, seeing it scuffling backwards from her, while keeping its gun locked onto her.

She paused for a moment, feeling as if she should let it go. The same guilt from before began trickling into her chest, even if they were only robots she was killing. Before she could decide what to do, a loud pulse of sound startled her and a red laser shot past her, impacting the droid and making it crumble to the ground with a mechanical gurgle. Hinata turned, seeing James standing not far behind her, holding one of the droid's guns in his hands. He sent her a slight smirk before aiming the gun at the toppled droid on the ground beside him and firing away its head.

"You can fire a gun…" she whispered, her heart still pounding in her ears.

"It's not that hard to figure out," he pointed out, holding up the gun by his shoulder.

She tried to smirk back, but failed as she looked over at the destroyed droid beside him. Taking in a quick breath, she turned and rushed over to the first droid James had shot. "There's no way someone didn't hear those shots. We need to get out of here."

They stashed the droids' bodies back in their cell, meeting once again in the hall. Ben brought up the map hologram once again and stared at it intently for a moment before flickering it away.

"Follow me," he told them with a whisper.

Hinata and James exchanged glances as they followed after Ben. Jack floated ahead, going through the doors and around the corners to check for guards. They would occasionally run into a small group of the B1 Battle Droids, easily taking them out and hiding them in the nearest room. As they reached an elevator, Hinata began to feel antsy. Stepping inside, the door to the elevator slid closed and slowly began to descend.

Ben once again brought up the map hologram and informed them, "This elevator won't lead us to the hangar, but it will take us down to the level above it."

James nodded, "Closer than we were before, at least." He looked over at Hinata with a smirk, but it fell as he saw the obvious unease in her face. "Hey, we're doing fine, alright?"

Hinata quickly glanced up at him before darting her eyes away. "We've only run into the basic droids. We haven't even heard anything from Bane or those other droids you saw when we got captured… Something isn't right."

"You don't know that," James told her, attempting to be reassuring. "They might be on completely different levels or dealing with something else-"

"No," Hinata cut him off before he could continue, shaking her head. "I'm done assuming things are fine. My gut knows something's off." She ran her hands over her arms uncomfortably, "The only reason Bane's out here is for me. Why would they only have the weakest droids guarding us?"

James looked her over with a deepening frown, unease creeping into his own heart, despite his attempts to keep it out. "You think he expected us to get out of the cell?"

She glanced up at him with worry plain in her eyes as she nodded. "He's fought me before-he knows I'm capable." Looking away, she added, "I don't know what it is… but he's planning something."

"What should we do?" Ben asked, his eyes sullen. He looked over at them, "If you're right, Hinata, we're probably doing exactly what he wants."

Hinata stared back at him, a bit off put by how serious Ben was being. Deep down, she wished he could be his bright cheery self to bring any semblance of comfort to their situation. Swallowing, she averted her gaze and shook her head, "I-I don't know."

"What can we do?" James asked, running his hand through his hair. "We don't know for sure that he's planning anything and even if he is, we weren't able to think of any other way to get out of here."

He looked between them to see their reactions, but they avoided his gaze. His frowned deepened as his eyes rested on Hinata. Her usual golden eyes were reddened with a watery sheen glazed over them. Her hair was frizzed and slowly becoming undone from its bun, falling over her tattered shirt that was ripped by her waist, showcasing deep, purple bruises and cuts she had received from being knocked unconscious. James felt his heart drop as he looked her over and reached forward, pulling her into his arms. She weakly obliged, closing her eyes as she felt his arms tighten around her.

"We're going to get out of this," he whispered into her hair. "Alright?"

Hinata let out a shaking breath as she confessed, "I don't know how…"

"Stop doubting yourself," he told her a bit firmly. He pulled back enough to see her face. "Let's just stick with our original plan, okay? We're doing fine."

She reluctantly met her gaze with his determined one. She could sense the uneasiness in his heart, but he was trying so hard to appear strong. Licking her lips, she looked away and slowly nodded. "Yeah... " Reaching up one of her hands, she placed it over his on her shoulder. "Thank you…"

"Yeah," he strained a smile before looking up at Ben and Jack. "We've got this, right?"

Ben looked between James and Hinata, his blue eyes slowly brightening as a smile spread over his metal face. "Yeah, you're right. We've gotten out of worse situations, right, Hinata? Remember Treasure Planet?"

A smirk tipped at the corner of Hinata's lips. "You mean Bentopia?"

A chuckle escaped Ben, making Hinata's smirk grow. The elevator dinged, slowing to a stop and ending their conversation. Hinata pulled away from James and took in a deep breath as she straightened her shoulders. She clenched her hands at her sides, prepared to activate her blades if they were met with droids.

To their surprise, the door slid open to reveal a large conference room. A long rectangular table was bolted to the floor in the center of the room, surrounded with tall-backed chairs. On the far end of the room, the wall was completely made of a thick glass, overlooking the void outside. The stars were barely visible, wisping past the ship in thin, white streaks. Hinata slowly led the way into the room, narrowing her eyebrows at the sight of the stars.

"How could Bane's ship have an FTL Drive?" she whispered to Ben, glancing back at him.

Ben stopped beside her and lifted his hand to his chin. "The FTL technology isn't present in my galaxy, but maybe in Bane's it is?"

"It's probably different than what DiZ had Sam build…" Hinata surmised, looking back at the window. "That does throw a bit of a wrench in our plan. We can't fly the ship out of the hangar bay while going this fast, right?"

"Great…" James muttered under his breath, bringing his hand to his face. "We'll need to figure out a way to stop the ship then."

"This plan's getting more risky by the minute." Hinata shook her head, patting Jack on the head as he landed on her shoulder.

Chewing her bottom lip, she continued to look around the room, pondering their next move. She looked along the walls; complete sections of metal were jutting out like columns and arched up to the ceiling. Hinata absently stared at them as she stepped forward, also noticing two metal doors near the other side of the room.

"Let's still focus on getting to the ship," she spoke up, stopping and crossing her arms as she turned to face them. "I'm sure it will need some repairs and maybe there will be a ship nearby that we can take an FTL Drive from." She looked to James, "I know you don't really work on the ships at the shop, but do you think you and Ben could manage integrating a drive into the Highwind?"

James frowned and scratched his head, "I.. I'm not sure, I don't know anything about the technology out here, but, uh, I can give it a go."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out," Ben assured her, giving a thumbs-up and a grin.

She nodded. "Then while you guys do that, Jack and I will find a way to stop the ship."

"What? No, that's way too risky," James shook his head. "We can't split up."

"We don't have much of a choice," Hinata began to retort, holding her arms out at her side with frustration creeping into her voice. "It's not like-"

The mechanical whir of a door unlocking cut her off and she gasped, turning around to see the center lock on the right door in the room spinning. Grabbing James' arm, she rushed behind a column. She pressed her back against the cool metal and pulled James up against her to keep him out of sight right before the door slid open. Glancing over, she spotted Ben and Jack hidden under the table. She frowned at their poor hiding spot, but remained silent as she glanced up at James. She could feel his heart racing as his face flushed. He sent her an uneasy smile, before peeking out from their hiding spot, freezing when he saw Bane entering the room. He whipped his head back behind the column and sent Hinata a panicked look that she immediately understood.

"Commander," a gurgled robotic voice echoed along with its hard metal footsteps as it entered the room.

"Yes, what is it?" Bane asked with an exasperated voice.

"Your employers are requesting an update on the prisoners," the droid replied.

Bane let out a long breath. "Put them on."

Hinata swallowed hard as she carefully peeked around the column, seeing a tall droid that stood at Bane's height. Its legs were rectangular and long with a vent going across its torso. Its head was attached to two metal prongs coming off the top of its tan chest and looked at Bane through its thin slitted eyes. Holding out its hand, it brought up a tall blue hologram of Xigbar, his hood was pulled back with his hands on his hips as he smirked up at Bane.

"Heard you finally captured our fugitive!" Xigbar greeted Bane.

Bane scoffed and adjusted his hat. "I could have gotten her sooner if I were allowed to go into that mansion."

Xigbar chuckled, waving his hand, "Yeah, you can thank the higher-ups for that restriction. Trust us, you wouldn't have been able to handle it there."

Bane crossed his arms, disregarding his comment. "I'll be arriving at the drop-off point within the hour. I assume my payment will be ready?"

"Yeah, yeah," Xigbar waved him off, before pointing at him. "Just as long as we can get her fully into the facility without her making another grand escape."

"Let me worry about that," Bane assured him with a deep throated chuckle. "She won't be capable of any sort of escape by the time we arrive."

Hinata leaned back against the column, meeting her frightened eyes with James as her heart dropped. He reached his hand to hers and interlaced their fingers, giving her hand a tight squeeze.

"I like your confidence!" Xigbar enthused with a laugh. "Well alrighty then!" He clapped his hands together. "I guess we'll be seeing you soon! Over and out." His hologram flickered out of existence.

Bane let out a long breath once the transmission had ceased and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Looking over at the droid beside him he demanded, "What is the status on the prisoners?"

The droid paused for a moment, as if thinking over its answer, before replying, "Unknown, B1-487 has not reported to their post."

"They must have escaped their cell by now," Bane surmised, bringing his hand to his chin. "Where's Todo?"

"On his way, Commander," the droid answered him, just as the door to the room slid open.

Todo rolled in, seemingly out of breath. "H-here," he held up his tiny hand. "I'm still getting lost in this place."

"Go check on the prisoners," Bane ordered him, ignoring his comment. "We need to know how far they've gotten."

"Yes'sir," Todo saluted and turned towards the elevator, stopping short. "Um… Bane?"

"What?" Bane bit.

"Is there supposed to be a dog on board?" Todo asked, his head barely reaching the top of the table, giving him a perfect view of Ben and Jack's hiding spot.

Jack looked at the others and barked, darting through the table so everyone could see him.

Bane growled and pulled out his gun, firing a red blast that went straight through Jack and crashed into the ceiling. Hinata gasped, then suddenly thankful the reverberation from the laser blast covered up her voice.

"Just let it go," Bane grumbled, glaring as Jack floated around him and darted through the opposite door.

"It doesn't seem like we can do anything to stop it anyways," Todo commented, rolling after where Jack had gone. "Unless we throw it off the ship somehow."

Bane scoffed, "It doesn't matter, it can't do anything to help its master. Go check on the prisoners."

"Alright, alright," Todo put his tiny hands up in surrender as he turned back and rolled towards the elevator. He glanced under the table once more as he passed, but didn't spot anyone else as Ben had taken the opportunity of Jack's distraction to hide behind another column.

Hinata held her breath as Todo got onto the elevator, hoping he wouldn't glance behind him and spot her and James. She let out a sigh of relief as the doors slid closed behind him and she peeked out once more to see Bane with the droid.

The droid began to talk the moment Todo was gone. "After the fugitive's delivery, you are required to return to the Federation for-"

"You don't have to remind me," Bane growled, cutting the droid off. "I know what I have to do."

He stormed past the droid, leaving it to slowly turn around and walk after him. Its heavy metal steps echoed through the room until the door slid shut behind it. Hinata let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding as she slumped against the wall.

"That was a close one," Ben spoke up, scurrying over from his hiding spot.

"Too close," James agreed, reluctantly stepping away from Hinata and releasing their hands.

Hinata wrapped her arms around herself, her gaze downcast. "Bane knew I was at the mansion…"

James and Ben paused and looked over at her. Ben scratched his head, "Yeah… but you already thought he did, right?"

"I guess it's just different knowing he actually did…" she admitted, chills vibrating up her spine. "The whole time I was stuck at the mansion, I knew something was off. It felt like there was danger just constantly looming over me, even though everyone kept assuring me I was safe…"

"I don't get why those Organization guys wouldn't let him go into the mansion if he knew you were there." James crossed his arms.

"I don't know either… but I'm sort of thankful they didn't," Hinata muttered, tightening her hold around her arms. "Who knows what would have happened to the mansion or to Sora if he had?"

James shook his head and paced away, running his hand through his hair. "Why are they going through so much trouble to capture you?" he asked with aggravation in his voice. "Why can't they just leave you alone?"

"I really wish I knew," Hinata told him, tears beginning to strain her voice before she caught herself and shut her eyes. The panic that was festering inside her was beginning to boil. She took in a deep breath, desperately trying to calm her nerves. Everyone was silent, awaiting her words. She was their only hope off that ship. "...We don't have time to figure it out," she finally spoke up, opening her eyes and looking between them. "They know we're out of our cell, so we need to hurry."

"What about Jack?" James asked.

"He'll find us," Ben assured him with a smile. "If nothing else, he'll probably meet us at the hangar bay."

"Let's hope so," Hinata strained a smile as she held out her arm. "Alright, Ben, lead the way."

"Right!" Ben jumped up, scuffling forward as he pulled up the hologram of the ship's map. He examined it for a moment before take a right, going the opposite direction of the droid and, most importantly, Bane.

They encountered very few droids along the way, still only the basic B1 Battle Droids that provided little threat. James was beginning to get a better handle on the gun he had taken from the droids, holding it more comfortably and walking confidently beside Hinata as they made their way through the ship. After going through a few halls and rooms, they reunited with Jack as he came floating towards them through the largest door they had yet seen on the ship. Jack nuzzled Hinata before floating over to Ben and softly barking.

"He says the hangar bay's through here," Ben pointed towards the large door as he listened to Jack a bit more. "Are you sure? That doesn't make any sense!"

"What is it?" Hinata asked, stepping forward.

"He says… there aren't any droids in the hangar bay." Ben looked back at her, his eyes a mix between his usual bright yellow and the solemn blue, creating a mixture of uncertain green.

"What?" James asked, looking up at the large door that went all the way to the ceiling. "How can that be possible?"

Hinata licked her lips. "They want us to get to the ship."

"Why would they want that?" James turned towards her.

"It's a large open space, probably the biggest one on the ship," she spread her arms out at her sides. "Bane said I wasn't going to be capable of escape once he was through with me… He's probably planning on ambushing us in there."

"Why go through the trouble of letting us out of the cells only to ambush us?" James asked, walking towards her. "It doesn't make any sense."

"To let us think we're doing really well?" she suggested with a shrug. "To make us think we can get out of here, only to surprise us last second and get me to the point where I literally can't fight anymore?" James looked back at her unconvinced and she added, "Look, they've been trying to capture me for months. But I've always managed to get away from them, even when they got me to the facility. For whatever reason, they're getting desperate, and they aren't going to risk just cuffing me and walking into their imprisonment or whatever they have planned for me. I've got to be to the point where I can't fight anymore before I let them take me."

James stared at her before glancing back at the door behind them that led to the hangar bay. "And you think that's why Bane's going to ambush us? To get you to that point?"

"In all honesty," Hinata rubbed the back of her neck, "that's what I would do."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" James sighed. "We're right by the ship."

Hinata took in a deep breath, placing her hands along her hips as she looked at the door. Shaking her head, she suddenly spoke, "You know, I'm probably just being paranoid. Let's just get to the ship."

"What?" James asked, watching with complete confusion as Hinata walked past him towards the control board. He ran up to Hinata. "What are you talking about? You were just saying-"

"We're getting to the ship," Hinata sternly told him without looking up at him. A flush overtook her cheeks as she uncomfortably shifted her weight between her feet. "Just do what I say for once."

"For once?" James muttered as the door slid opened and Hinata rushed inside.

Ben frowned, meeting his confused eyes with James before following after Hinata. As Jack had informed them, the entire hangar bay was devoid of droids. Ships of various sizes and builds were scattered across the vast room. Along the entire far, right wall was a translucent barrier that overlooked space whizzing by outside, and right beside the barrier stood the Highwind. It was battered-the metal hull scuffed and scratched. Entire sections were blasted off, showing the insides of the ship.

James marvelled at the hangar, but quickly ran up beside Hinata. "What's with your sudden change of heart?"

"Just," she shook her head, averting her gaze from his as they rushed towards the ship, "please just get on the ship."

James frowned, but did as she said, sprinting on ahead. He grappled over the railing and held out his hand for Hinata. She jumped up and grabbed his forearm, allowing him to help pull her up. Once she was aboard, she ran downstairs, allowing James to help Ben up.

She rushed into her room, thankful to see that the walls were still intact. Pulling open her wardrobe, she saw her leather gun holster hanging over the metal bar in the center. She grabbed it and tossed it on the bed before grabbing the bottom of her ripped shirt and pulling it off over her head.

"Hinata, where are-" James stopped short, his face warming as he saw her in her black bra. He looked her over for a moment in shock before shaking his head and looking away. "What are you doing?"

Without replying, Hinata pulled open the drawers on her wardrobe and pulled on a turquoise tank top and a tan jacket. Zipping it up, she sent a sideward glance towards James before turning back to the bed and strapping her gun holster around her leg.

"You're getting ready to fight…" James began to realize, watching her buckle the leather straps of the holster.

Hinata stood back up straight and pushed past him, rushing towards the sparring room, "I'm just being prepared."

James followed her to the sparring room, seeing her grabbing daggers and stashing them in her jacket. He silently watched her, feeling his throat go dry as she stopped by a hanging cabinet and pulled out a handful of potions. "You're actually planning on fighting? You'd just be playing right into his plan."

Hinata paused and looked back at him in silence. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off as a thunderous pounding of multiple metal footsteps reverberated through the hangar bay.

"Shit," James cursed under his breath, bringing his hands to his face as Hinata went past him.

"Ben," James could barely hear Hinata's voice over the thunderous sounds of the droids outside the ship. "I need you to start fixing the ship, right now."

Ben blinked in confusion, but with a quick shake of his head he stood up straight and saluted, "Yes, ma'am!"

He turned to run off, but Hinata grabbed his arm. "The moment you're done, you need to take the ship and get out of here. Regardless if I'm on board or not."

"What?!" James grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back to face him. "Are you serious? We are NOT leaving you here! We promised to get out of here together."

"My top priority is getting you back home safely," Hinata retorted, desperately trying to keep her emotions in check. "I'm going to buy you guys as much time as I can, but I need you-"

"No, I'm not letting you do that," James interrupted her, shaking his head. He tightened his grip around her arm. "I'm not letting you go out there by yourself!"

"You're going to have to," Hinata pushed his hand off of her arm, ignoring his pleading eyes as she looked back to Ben. "Send Jack out when you're done, but if I can't get back to the ship, fly out of here. Find Riku or Sam, get some help. Alright?"

Ben swallowed hard, obviously wanting to disagree and refuse to leave her behind, but with a quick nod, he answered, "Yes ma'am…"

"Hinata, please," James went in front of her, grabbing her shoulders. His eyes were glazed with tears. "Don't do this."

"I don't have a choice," she confessed, finally meeting her eyes with his. "They're here for me, not you." She reached up her hands to his. "No matter what happens, stay on the ship. Don't come after me."

"You can't ask me to do that," he shook his head, tears escaping down his cheeks.

"I'm not asking," she replied, tears beginning to strain her own voice.

The droids' heavy steps halted, their thunderous sounds ceasing and making their ears ring. A sudden slow clapping caused James to jump as Cad Bane called out.

"Well, well, very impressive! You made it all the way back to your ship, I'm sure you're very proud of yourselves," Bane goaded them, a rumbling laugh escaping him, before he yelled in a more serious, threatening tone. "You have one minute to come out peacefully! Or we come in there by force!"

"I have to go," Hinata choked, turning away to meet Bane.

"Hinata," James reached forward and grabbed her hand, stopping her. When Hinata paused, he let out a shaking breath and confessed, "You...You're the reason I haven't asked Clarisse out for dinner."

Hinata looked back at him, her eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "James, this is hardly-"

"I still have feelings for you," James blurted out, interrupting her as his free hand clenched tightly at his side. He met his gaze with hers, a soft loving look in his eyes as he smiled sadly. "I probably always will. You are the best thing that ever happened to me or Sam." Giving her hand a squeeze, he added with a tremble in his voice, "Don't make us lose our best friend."

Hinata's heart twisted as her emotions threatened to boil. Shaking her head, she ran towards him and gave him a tight hug, burying her face in his chest. She felt his arms wrap around her, taking in all of the comfort he had to offer her.

"You won't," she assured him with a whisper.

Tightening her hold for just a moment more, she then pulled away and sent him a weak smile before turning around and running up above deck. Her stomach plummeted at the sight before her. Bane stood up front, his arms crossed as he cockily stared up at her with a smirk across his cracked, blue lips. Behind him stood rows upon rows of droids, each one readied with their weapons. Most of them were the B1 Droids she had encountered throughout her exploration of the ship, but the front two rows were something completely different.

Some of them were made of a polished silver metal. Their chests were thick and bulky with a red laser light beside their narrow heads, to assist with aiming. Their left arms made up their guns and were up beside their heads, their red lasers trained on Hinata as she climbed down from the ship. Beside Bane stood four special droids, built more to the shape of men. Their torsos were long and thin with a large red light in the center of their chests. They watched Hinata with their glowing, red eyes, activating the staffs they held in their hands. Hinata's hands tightened as she saw the ends of their staffs spark with balls of electricity. She came to a stop in front of the group, feeling her throat go dry as Bane's smirk began to grow.

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, both of them waiting for the other one to make the first move. The droids stood their ground, awaiting the order to strike. Hinata looked all of them over, her gaze landing on the translucent barrier that separated them from space.

"Have you got nothing to say?" Bane asked with a bit of a demeaning tone.

"Should I?" Hinata brought her gaze back to him, feeling the tiniest spark of anger in her throat. "Your plan was a little predictable."

"As was yours," Bane motioned towards her.

"Are you going to talk to me all day, or fight me?" Hinata bit back. "You're really going through a lot of work to make up for me beating you last time we met."

Bane scowled, pulling out his pistols from his holsters and immediately firing them both at her. Hinata ducked and scrambled behind a nearby ship as all of the droids followed suit, creating an instant warzone. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out two potion vials and popped off the tops, drinking the contents. She felt her tattoo glow in response and smirked as she snuck to the other side of the ship, where the laser shots were less congested. Seeing a large majority of the B1 Battle droids still firing where they saw her last, she backed up and held out both of her hands in front of her. Moisture surrounded her and condensated on the floor. Pulling her arms back, she created a wave of water that flowed towards her, then she stepped and thrusted her hands forward, plummeting the water against the group of droids.

They yelled out in surprise and fright as they were swept up in the strong current and shoved through the translucent barrier that morphed around them like jelly before tossing them into space. Hinata fell forward, catching herself with her hands as magic fleeted from her body. The group of droids was more than halved by her attack, yet the most powerful ones still remained. She rolled out of the way of an oncoming laser blast from the bulky silver droids and grabbed her gun from her holster, powering it up. With a single shot, the yellow plasma hollowed the frontmost droid, making it spark and fizzle as it fell to the ground.

Her victory was short lived, as its body was merely trampled by more droids charging towards her. She jumped to her feet, firing a couple more shots as she ran towards another ship for cover. She drank the contents of two more potions, checking to see that she only had one remaining. A shot grazed past her, shaking her out of her hiding spot. She peeked around the corner to see that Bane was once again in front of the droids. Hinata frowned and glanced over at the Highwind. She noticed Jack and Ben scurrying from one of the nearby ships with a large metal object in Ben's, that Hinata assumed was the other ship's FTL drive. The sight brought the faintest glimmer of hope in her heart and she stepped out from behind her hiding spot, firing two shots towards Bane. He easily dodged them, allowing the shots to plummet into two droids behind him that stood silently and still awaiting his command before falling to the ground dead. Bane fired his own gun towards Hinata, but she rolled out of the way, putting away her gun and activating her blades as she got back up to her feet. She managed to deflect and dodge all of Bane's consecutive shots as they circled each other, while the droids silently watched.

Deflecting another shot off of her blades, Hinata sprinted forward and side-kicked Bane in his chest. He stumbled back, putting his guns back in his hostler before swinging towards her face. She spun and grabbed his arm before it could meet its mark, and elbowed his neck. His breath was choked out of his lungs as she rolled forward, slinging him over her shoulder and hard onto the ground. Hinata took the moment and summoned a spiral of water, covering Bane and flinging him across the hangar bay.

The moment he was gone, the droids once again trained their guns at Hinata, about to fire. Hinata turned towards them and raised her hands, causing sudden spouts of water to thrust up from the ground like geysers. Random droids went flying into the air, before crashing onto the floor in a mechanical, oily mess.

"I'll have to thank Demyx for that trick," she muttered to herself, beginning to feel a bit more confidence trickling through her as a smirk appeared on her lips.

A sudden electrifying pain cut her short as an electrostaff was jabbed against her back. Sparks zapped across her skin as she screamed out in pain and fell to the floor. Her body trembled as the electricity continued to course through her body. Her vision blurred as she looked up and saw a tall, man-like droid behind her, their electric staff at the ready.

She desperately tried to move, pulling her arms towards her in any attempt to crawl away as the droid raised its staff once more to bring down on her. A loud pulse rang through the air before a red laser shot through its arm, making it fall slack. It's glowing eyes immediately turned towards the Highwind, where James was running over with a gun clasped in his hands. With only one hand working, the droid spun its electrostaff with ease, turning its attention to James.

"J-James, n-no," Hinata pleaded weakly, trying to push herself up as James carefully strafed around the droid and fired at it.

The droid skillfully deflected the blasts, taking strikes towards James that he barely dodged. James backed up, beginning to feel overwhelmed. A cylinder of water suddenly surrounded the droid and the entire thing instantly electrified from its staff. As the water disappeared, the droid crumbled to the ground in a blackened mess. James spun around, seeing Hinata's hand fall weakly at her side as she struggled to stand. He rushed to her side and helped her up, pulling out a handful of potion vials from his pocket. Hinata took them and immediately drank all of them at once, feeling the overwhelming adrenaline fill her body. She stood back up straight and took in a breath, before looking over at James.

"Get back on the ship, right now," she ordered him with a hushed voice, scanning her eyes around at the recovering droids.

"You need my help," he countered, going forward and grabbing the electrostaff off the ground.

"James," she said his name warningly, reaching and grabbing her pistol from her holster and aiming it at the oncoming droids. "Seriously, get back on the ship."

"I'm not leaving you behind," he told her, firing his gun at the frontmost droid and making it crumble to the ground.

Hinata fired a couple blasts, taking out consecutive droids as she grabbed James' arm and shoved him behind a ship for cover. She went after him and scolded with a harsh whisper, "If you get yourself killed over this stupid desire to impress me, I am not going to feel sorry for you! Get back to the damn ship!"

James looked back at her undeterred, but then fell forward as the ship suddenly came out of hyperspace. Hinata glanced around the ship, seeing that the stars were no longer whizzing by, but they were orbiting a blue planet. They were merely minutes away from landing on its surface. She turned her glaring eyes to James.

"I'm not leaving without you," he told her adamantly, grabbing her arm. "Either we leave together or I'm staying here."

"That can be arranged," Bane's voice startled James as Hinata glared over at Bane coming towards them. "I must admit, child, I underestimated you. I think I might see why this Organization wants you so badly."

Hinata scowled and bit, "You don't know a thing about me. And you don't know what you're dealing with, working with the Organization."

Bane chuckled, "As long as they pay me, I couldn't care less about you or who I work for."

He motioned his head behind them and a pair of metal hands tightly clasped around their shoulders. Hinata growled and kicked her foot behind her, getting herself free and summoned a spiral of water that thrusted into the droid's chest, making it topple back against the others. Pulling out her gun, she began to fire, destroying the front line of the droids before she suddenly heard James cry out in pain.

With a gasp, she whipped her attention over to him, seeing him on the ground being jabbed with one electro staff after the other. "James!" she called out to him, firing towards the man-like droids.

One of the droids' heads popped off from her shot, but it did nothing to deter it as it lifted its staff to hit him again. Instead, Hinata activated her blade, slicing through the droid's torso and finally causing it to fall to the ground. She kicked the other droid in the chest, making it stumble backwards as she holstered her gun and activated her other blade. The droid jabbed its staff towards her, but Hinata blocked it with one blade and slice across its chest with the other. It sparked as it glitched, twitching and its head spinning. Hinata took the chance and cut it in half, turning around once she was sure it was dead.

She froze as she saw Bane standing behind James, with his pistol pushed against James' head. Her eyes widened and her heart twisted, as all of her emotions ruptured to the surface. She licked her lips as tears filled her eyes and she deactivated her blades. James stared back at her, his eyes remorseful and blood dripping down the side of his mouth.

"Hinata, I'm sorry," he apologized, tears straining his voice as he felt Bane push his gun harder against his head.

Hinata brought her gaze up to Bane and softly shook her head. "Please… Let him go," her voice trembled, her heart drumming in her ears as she pleaded. "He's not the one you're after. I-I'll do whatever you want, just let him go."

"Hinata, don't- gah!" James begged before Bane kicked his back.

"Put down your weapons," Bane ordered her. "Or he dies."

"Alright," Hinata nodded already complying as she took off her gauntlets.

She put them on the ground and kicked them away, before working to unbuckle her gun holster. There was no time to be remorseful for giving up her prized possessions, all she cared about was making sure James was safe. Finally, she reached into her boots, pulling out the daggers she never got the chance to use and tossed them away.

Putting up her hands, she assured him, "That's everything, now let him go."

Bane laughed, "I don't remember ever saying I'd let him go."

"But-!" Hinata began to object, before feeling a sudden electrical jab in the center of her back.

With a cry of overwhelming pain, she fell forward, seeing a droid lifting its electrostaff to bring it down on her again. She could barely hear James yelling at them to stop as she landed on the floor. Her vision blurred from both tears and pain as she spotted Jack floating up from the ship, signalling that it was done.

Pushing herself up, she yelled with every ounce of strength she had left, "Go!"

Jack's ears went flat on his head, but he did as she asked. He went over to the controls and started up the ship, being met with Ben as the engines roared to life. Bane ordered the droids to stop them, but their shots barely grazed the ship's already scuffed metal. Hinata looked over at James as the ship escaped through the translucent barrier, both of them battered and trapped. He met her gaze, tears wet against his bruised cheeks as he tried to tell her he was sorry, but she couldn't hear his voice. She couldn't hear anything over her heart pounding in her chest, lost in a hopeless trance that didn't seem real. Looking back to the ship, Hinata saw it disappear into the stars in a flash.

"They activated their hyperdrive, sir!" a somehow remaining B1 Droid reported, making Bane glare as he stalked over to Hinata.

He grabbed her by the hair, making her cry out. "I don't like leaving loose ends," he told her with a low menacingly calm voice. "You pull a stunt like that again, and your friend dies. Got it?"

Hinata helplessly nodded, tears stinging the corners of her eyes as Bane threw her down.

"Contact the Organization," Bane ordered the droids. "We've got a delivery to make."


	44. Forgotten

Chapter 44

***Recap: While on a trip with Sam to Montressor, Hinata was attacked by Cad Bane. She, along with Ben, Jack, and James, were captured and taken prisoner on Bane's ship. They manage to escape their cell and make it back to the battered Highwind in the hangar bay, however, Bane and his loyal droids are waiting for them. Hinata takes it upon herself to confront the army, ordering the others to repair the ship as fast as possible and find a way to integrate a hyperdrive into the ship. As she is battling, James runs out, against Hinata's orders, to help against the droids, yet Bane is prepared. Putting James in a near death hold, Bane forces Hinata to give up her weapons and surrender. Just as she is being captured, Hinata sees that Ben and Jack have finished their "repairs" on the ship and yells for them to flee, thus leaving her and James behind.***

Riku stared blankly at the communication device in his palm as he stood right outside DiZ's office. Hinata had just attempted to contact him, but her hologram had barely appeared for a single second before it fizzed out of existence. He swallowed hard, his stomach knotted and twisted with the image of her tear-stained face was burned in his mind. His body was frozen, he knew something was wrong, but he couldn't even bring himself to move. He pressed the call button once more, the blue light shined from the engraving of the button before flickering out, making no connection. His heart dropped as he let out a shaking breath. Something was definitely wrong.

Desperately trying to keep himself under control, he forced his heavy feet to move as he turned around and opened the door to DiZ's office. He stood at the doorway in shocked silence, unsure what he was supposed to say as DiZ turned his chair to look at him.

"Was there something else you needed?" DiZ inquired, a tinge of concern was hidden in his voice as he stood from his seat. He watched Riku sway back and forth, as if merely standing was a difficult challenge. "Riku, what's wrong?"

Riku looked up at DiZ and swallowed, "I-it's Hinata…"

DiZ froze, "Hinata? What happened? Is she not in her room?"

Riku slowly shook his head, watching as DiZ's expression turned from one of concern to stern.

"Where is she then…?" DiZ slowly asked with a low voice.

Riku licked his lips, thankful his hood was concealing the wreck of emotions on his face. "She's-"

A sudden shrill ring from the computer cut Riku off and DiZ spun around to see all of his computer screens a bright blue with a white line buzzing in the center. Letting out a huff of breath, DiZ went forward and performed a keystroke on his keyboard, bringing up a hologram of Sam in the cockpit of one of her ships. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she tried to regain her breath.

"Sam," DiZ greeted her calmly, hearing Riku rush towards the screen.

"Sam what happened?" Riku spoke over DiZ, his voice barely trembling. "What's going on? Where's Hinata?" He noticed DiZ glance over at him when he inquired about Hinata.

"S-she's gone!" Sam cried, using her shoulder to roughly wipe away her tears as she tried to pilot her ship. "I-I was only gone for a minute! Her and James were on the ship and-" Her voice broke and she shook her head, crying, "Bane attacked! A-and he completely wrecked the ship with them on it!" She took in a sharp breath, the tears in her voice made her voice nearly unintelligible. "H-Hinata tried to call me, b-but our call got cut off… I got in my ship and tried to help… but by the time I got up there… Bane had already captured them…"

DiZ slowly sat down in his seat, his hands clasped tightly around the armrests as Riku stepped forward and asked with a raised voice, "Are you sure? They didn't beam down before Bane got the ship?"

"There's no way they could have!" Sam shook her head, "The ship has to be completely still for that and they were getting hit on all sides…"

Riku stumbled back, the reality of the situation falling down on him in a massive wave. He put his hands to his head, the overwhelming darkness inside of him boiled with his mixture of intense emotions. He wanted to yell and shatter everything around him; everything he had feared had come to pass and he had just stood by, letting it happen.

"Riku, I'm so sorry…!" Sam sobbed as she buried her face in her hands, letting go of the ship's controls for a moment. "I-I don't know what to do… They have James, and Ben… and the ship… I couldn't-" She took in a sharp breath, her throat constricting from tears. "I couldn't do anything to stop it… It's all my fault..."

"It's not your fault…" Riku moved his hands away from his head, unable to ignore the ringing in his ears and the pounding of his heart. He stood back up straight and muttered, "I'll go to Kamino..." He turned around the leave the room.

"Not yet," DiZ spoke up, making Riku pause.

"I'm not going to just leave her there!" Riku objected with a raised voice, his fists clenching at his sides.

"Then perhaps you should have thought of that before throwing her into danger!" DiZ abruptly stood from his seat, his voice deep and bellowing through the room. "Both of you are to blame for putting Hinata in this situation, and both of you will be responsible for bringing her back. Am I understood?"

Riku turned to look back at DiZ, taken aback by his outburst. He turned his gaze up to Sam, seeing the same surprised expression on her tear stained face. She met her eyes with his, and licked her lips as she nodded shortly.

She took in a deep breath, reigning in her flailing emotions. "I'll head back to the shop and build another FTL Drive in one of the ships here, I can leave for Kamino in a couple hours."

"That's not soon enough," Riku shook his head, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I'm not going to wait around when I can go do it myself."

"You have no idea what you will encounter," DiZ pointed out, his calm demeanor returning, yet his posture and movements were still rigid. "It would be wise to bring a ship along in case of emergency, as well as Sam's assistance. Hinata has proven to be fully capable and will be able to manage until then."

Riku frowned as he looked away, wishing he could lash out, but he kept himself silent and took in a deep breath.

"I'm getting into the shop now," Sam informed them with a quiet voice. "I'll start on that drive…" With that, she cut the call, leaving DiZ and Riku alone in the room

"With your new form of darkness," DiZ broke the silence, clasping his hands in front of him as he turned towards Riku, "you should be able to create a Corridor to Montressor without needing to make any stops along the way."

Riku whipped his attention back to DiZ but didn't say anything in reply.

"It will exhaust you," DiZ admitted with a nod as he walked towards him, "but it will be the swiftest way for you to get there."

Riku slowly nodded as DiZ came to a stop a few feet in front of him. He looked DiZ over, noticing a glint of sadness in his eye. He averted his gaze and took in a breath, "I'm… sorry we didn't keep her here…"

"It's understandable," DiZ sighed. His tone made Riku look back at him, seeming more open than his usual closed off and calm demeanor. "I know she was getting restless... And knowing the three of you, I imagine that the plan on all accounts should have kept her safe. This bounty hunter was more clever than we gave him credit for."

"Yeah…" Riku agreed, slightly nodding and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Bring her home," DiZ ordered him.

Riku stared back at him, confused by his wording. Something in his heart told him there was a deeper meaning behind it. He blinked, unsure of how to respond, but gave a quick nod before promising, "I will."

A faint smirk tipped at the corner of DiZ's mouth from Riku's response and he watched as Riku disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

…

Back in the shop on Montressor, Clarisse sat at her desk in the reception office, struggling to focus on the paperwork in front of her as tears glazed over her eyes. She couldn't stop thinking about Sam's panic when she heard that James was in trouble. She chewed on her bottom purple lip, a habit she only took part in when the stress she was enduring was overwhelming. All she could think about was James, wondering where he was and if he'd be alright. Her mind suddenly wandered to the possibility of him not coming back and she took in a sharp breath, tossing down her pen and burying her face in her pale blue hands.

"Clarisse." She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Doctor Doppler smiling sweetly at her. "Everything's going to be alright."

She tried to smile back, but it quickly faltered. "Thank you..." she began to speak, her voice weak and softer than usual. "I hope you're right…"

A sudden swirl of black mist appeared in the center of the lobby, startling both of them as Clarisse jumped out of her seat with a gasp. She brought her hands to her mouth when the mist disappeared to reveal a man in a black hooded coat. The man stumbled forward into a chair, before collapsing to the ground, making Clarisse scream in surprise.

"M-Miss Sam!" she squeaked, waving her arm behind her without tearing her eyes away from the man unconscious on the floor. "I think you need to see this!"

"I don't have time for paperwork, Clarisse!" Sam bit, carrying an armful of tools towards the largest ship in the shop's runway.

"A man in a black coat appeared in the lobby!" Doppler clarified, going up to the body and kneeling beside it. He pulled back the hood to reveal Riku's face. Doppler jumped up, grabbing the handle of a gun holstered at his hip, "And I don't believe it's Riku!"

Sam ran over and slowed to a stop when she saw him. Letting out a sigh, she informed them, "It is Riku. He… changed a bit since the last time you saw him." She looked around as Jim and Amelia ran over to see him. "Put him on one of the bunks in the ship until he wakes up."

"Alright," Jim agreed, grabbing a hold of Riku's legs as Amelia linked her arms under Riku.

They lifted him up together and carefully carried him onto the large metal ship. The vessel seemed to be a mishmash of materials all melted together to create a large cockpit and round living area. Bunks with thin mattresses lined the back wall, each with a black blanket and a hard pillow.

As Riku slept on the bunk, Sam worked down below in a hatch that led to the underbelly of the ship. Tools clanged and drills echoed throughout the ship as everyone else remained silent, too shell-shocked to say much. Jim stayed up on the main floor of the ship, retrieving any materials Sam needed to build the drive. Anytime he tried to start a conversation, she was unable to maintain it, burying herself in her work in any attempt to not focus on everything going on.

Clarisse tiptoed onto the ship, carrying a wooden tray with a ceramic, floral tea set on top. She glanced over at Sam and Jim working on the drive, before turning her attention to Riku. Licking her lips and taking in a breath, she carried the tray over and set it down on a square black table that was in between each of the beds. She sat down on a bunk beside him and looked him over with a frown.

"He looks nothing like he did when he was here last…" she whispered to herself as she poured a cup of steaming tea from the blue kettle.

Rather than a regular translucent brown, the liquid was more of a dark magenta, with a bit of cream mixed in. She took a sniff of the strong, flowery scent and smiled to herself from the familiarity it brought her. Holding out the drink, she held it in front of Riku, allowing the steam to hit his face. With a start, Riku's eyes shot open and he gasped, immediately sitting up. Clarisse had barely enough time to react and pull back the cup of tea to avoid Riku knocking it to the ground from his abrupt movement.

Riku darted his eyes around, his vision blurred and his head pounding. He tried to piece together where he was, before he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. With a start, he pushed it off and spun around, seeing Clarisse with her hands up in surrender. Shaking his head, he pushed his hands in his eyes.

"Where am I?" he asked, not looking up from his hands.

"You're on Montressor," Clarisse answered him, clasping her hands in her lap as she tried her best to ignore his unfamiliar, bellowing voice. "On one of the client's ships… Or, actually, I suppose it's Miss Sam's ship now, as she purchased it just a few moments ago to build-"

"I get it, thanks," Riku cut her off. He let out a sigh as he looked up from his hands. His surroundings were finally beginning to clear up and he could see Sam and Jim working on the Drive on the other side of the ship. "What happened?"

"Oh!" Clarisse started, "Oh, um, where to start…? Well, I don't know the whole story myself, but it seems that Lady Hinata and Mr. Ainsworth-"

"I mean to me," Riku interrupted her again, glancing over at her with a bit of a frown.

"Oh…" she realized, averting her gaze. "Well… you suddenly appeared out of this cloud of black smoke in the lobby, but you fainted before saying a single word. So Miss Sam had Mr. Hawkins and Captain Amelia carry you to the ship until you woke."

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"About an hour," she informed him. "It would have been longer if were not for my family's tea. It has certain elements to awaken just about anyone."

Riku glanced over at the tea set on the table. "...Elements?"

"I… must admit I don't fully understand it myself," Clarisse admitted a bit sheepishly, "but it is a tea that is used quite often on my world." She reached forward and picked up the same cup she had awakened him with. "If you drink it, it will help you regain your strength."

Reaching forward, he gently took the cup from her and stared down at the magenta liquid, before taking a small sip. It was much stronger than any tea he had tried before, having a tart yet flowery flavor that brought a slight smile to his face, despite the circumstance. "Thank you…"

"Of course," she quickly replied, clasping her hands tightly in her lap once more before adding. "I-I don't mean to be intrusive or demanding… but please… promise you'll bring James back safely?"

Riku looked up at her, seeing her worried golden eyes looking back at him. "I'll do everything I can," he assured her.

"Hey," Sam interrupted their conversation. They looked over to see Sam standing in front of them. Her eyes were reddened and her skin paler than normal. Looking to Riku, she told him, "I'm nearly done with the drive. You ready to go after Bane?"

His grip tightened around his cup as he nodded. He took a gulp of the tea, relishing the feeling of the rejuvenation it brought. Putting down the cup, he stood up, slightly wobbling as he struggled to keep his balance. Clarisse was quick to stand and help support him.

As Riku waved her off, Clarisse stepped back and asked, "I apologize for interrupting, but… did you say, Bane?"

Both Riku and Sam exchanged glances before looking over at her. "Do you know Cad Bane?" Sam asked.

Clarisse's golden eyes widened as she sat down in her seat and put her hands together in front of her mouth. "You mean… Cad Bane is the one that has James?"

"How do you know him, Clarisse?" Sam asked again with a bit of exasperation in her voice. "We don't have time for this."

She darted her eyes up to Riku and Sam, seeing them both staring at her. "H-he's a renowned bounty hunter in my galaxy…" she explained, nervously running her hands through her white hair that was curled over her shoulder. "I don't know much about him… other than what he's done to my people."

"Like what?" Riku asked.

"W-well, he once kept Senator Chuchi, the representative from my world, as a hostage with a group of other politicians." She licked her lips and downcast her gaze. "Not everyone made it out of there... The Senator recalled the events, saying that Bane wouldn't even hesitate to execute anyone that stood against him…" She took in a sharp breath as tears suddenly strained her voice. "And if he has James-" Her voice cut off as she shook her head and buried her face in her hands, quietly sobbing.

Sam's hands clenched at her sides as she grit her teeth and turned around. "That bastard's going down…" she muttered with a low voice.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Riku scoffed, glancing back at her as she hurried to the hatch.

Sam lifted the hatch and hopped down below, greeted by an array of sparking wires and red lights that lined the underbelly. Jim was kneeling in front of a black control board and paused when he heard Sam join him. He stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her, stopping short when he saw the tears falling down her cheeks.

"Sam…" he whispered her name as he slowly stood.

"I'm fine," she choked out as she roughly grabbed a wrench from off the ground and went back to working. She wiped away her tears with her shoulder and swallowed hard, trying to focus.

Jim watched her for a moment, his heart gradually sinking further into the ground as he tried to find the right words to say. Taking in a deep breath, he ran his hand along her back in comfort before turning and grabbing her a metal clamp for the drive. He held it out for her, making Sam pause. She glanced over at the small tool before bringing her glazed eyes up to Jim's. He sweetly smiled at her as she took the clamp and then went back to work without saying a word.

They worked in silence until Riku climbed down into the hatch. He had to slightly bend forward to fit under the low ceiling as he walked towards them. The design of the Drive was different than the one that he had seen on the Highwind. Sparking wires and clunky pieces of metal made up an entire wall, where Sam and Jim were working away. To the left of them was an enclosed empty area with thick fogged plastic surrounding it.

"How much longer?" Riku asked, his voice making Sam tense as she clenched her hand around the wrench.

"I'm working as fast as I can," she bit in a much harsher voice than she intended.

Jim paused, glancing over at Sam from her tone and let out a sigh as he looked over his shoulder at Riku. "Just a couple more minutes at the most. You and Amelia can stock up the ship in the meantime. We could use some more firepower."

"Alright," Riku agreed and turned to leave.

"You're not coming with…" Sam muttered under her breath once Riku was out of earshot.

"I'm not letting you do this alone," Jim replied sternly, "You're going to need all the help you can get."

"It's too dangerous," she shook her head, tears reappearing in her voice as she added. "I'm already close to losing James, I'm not going to risk losing you too."

Jim stopped and glanced over at her, "Samantha-"

"Don't," she interrupted him, shaking her head but not looking away from her work. "We don't have time for you to argue with me. You're not coming, and neither is Amelia. I heard you guys talking about it and this is way over your heads."

He looked back to the drive as he clenched his teeth and dropped his tools. The loud clang of them hitting the floor caused Sam to jump. "You can't just expect us to stand by! There is way too much at stake." He turned to look at her, and frowned that she wasn't even looking towards him. Reaching forward, he grabbed her wrench, forcing her to stop working and listen to him. She glared up at him as he continued. "Hinata's only one person and James doesn't know the first thing about fighting. We have no idea what they're up against and they are going to need all the help they can get." His grip on the wrench loosened as he moved his hand to hers, "Please…"

Her eyes slowly softened as she looked back to the drive. With a soft whisper, she resigned, "Alright, fine… Just let me get back to work. You coming along won't mean anything if we can't get there fast enough to help them."

….

Hinata swallowed hard as she stepped off Bane's ship, onto the outside deck of Kamino. Thick, dark clouds covered the sky, rumbling with thunder and threatening eventual rain with the unmistakable scent permeating the already salty air. The scent formed a lump in Hinata's throat as it reminded her of the island. She closed her eyes as she was forced forward by a Battle Droid on either side of her. Her hands were bound in front of her with a set of cuffs that would send an electrical current through her if she dared moved too suddenly. Taking in a sharp breath, she carefully walked forward, listening to the strong waves of the ocean beating against the raised facility and welcoming the light, cooling sea mist that sprayed against her.

Opening her eyes, she saw Bane walking a few feet ahead of her, leading towards the same doorway that she had entered when Axel had first taken her. Hinata began lightly chewing on her bottom lip as she glanced over her shoulder, seeing James being forced forward not far behind her, his hands were unbound, yet he had a droid grasping either arm. His reddened, swollen eyes met with hers, a clear lament in his gaze. She attempted to strain a reassuring smile towards him, but instead gasped as one of the droids hit her shoulder, forcing her to move faster. She stumbled forward, accidentally activating the cuffs and spiking a sudden electric charge through her body, that made her let out a broken cry of pain.

"Take those damn things off of her!" James yelled, making Bane pause.

Bane barely glanced over his shoulder as he chuckled, "Don't worry youngling, the moment you two are in their custody, those cuffs will be the least of her worries."

James scowled at his reply before looking over, "Hinata…"

"I'm fine…" she assured him, no semblance of emotion evident in her quiet voice. She stood back up straight and took in a deep breath, beginning to walk forward once again.

Bane turned his attention back towards the large glass door that led into the Kamino facility as it swung open. Hinata swallowed hard as she saw Xigbar coming out of the building to greet them, with a wide smirk painted on his face.

"There he is," Xigbar announced, spreading his arms out at his side, "the man of the hour!" With a laugh, he walked forward to meet Bane, roughly patting him on the shoulder. "You know, I had my doubts about you, but you really pulled through!"

With a strained smile, Bane brushed Xigbar's hand off of his shoulder. "I never leave a job unfinished."

"Obviously so," Xigbar agreed, motioning his arm towards Hinata as he peeked behind Bane to see her. His smirk only grew as he half-saluted, "Hey Princess, long time no see! Never actually thought we'd be able to catch you, did ya?"

Rather than reply, Hinata averted her gaze, lightly chewing on the inside of her cheek as she felt the knot in the pit of her stomach tighten. Xigbar only scoffed in response to her silence as he spun back around and led the way into the facility. He waved at Bane, indicating him to follow.

"Once they are secured," Bane spoke up while adjusting his gloves, "I'll take my payment and be on my way."

"You're the boss," Xigbar agreed with a shrug. "You did your part, so now we get to do ours."

"I don't recall requesting the capture of anyone else," Saix's voice caught their attention. He stood by the doorway with his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed at James. "We're not paying extra for her friends."

"I never said you'd have to," Bane retorted as he stood aside, allowing the droids to lead Hinata into the building.

Hinata glanced up at Saix as she passed, their eyes meeting for a fleeting moment, but he couldn't hold her gaze. He averted his eyes from hers, going back to James and clearing his throat.

"We'll pay you for the girl," Saix spoke back up to Bane, "The boy you can take with you to ransom on your own."

Hinata came to an abrupt stop when she heard Saix's words, making the droids at her sides nervous.

"Move along!" the droid on her right pushed on her shoulder, but she didn't budge. "B-boss! She won't move!"

Bane sighed as he examined his hand in front of him and explained, "Unfortunately, you won't be getting her into your little facility unless she has her friend with her."

Xigbar scoffed, "I should have known there was a catch."

"As long as her friend is left unharmed," Bane added, looking over at James with a mischievous smirk, "she'll do anything you ask. Think of it as a blessing in disguise."

James grimaced at his words as he averted his gaze to the polished tile floor. He could see his battered reflection, making his stomach churn.

"I don't know," Xigbar brought his hand to his chin.

"Let's just get them to the cell," Saix told them, his eyes closed in slight annoyance. "We'll let Vexen make the final call."

"Roger roger," one of the droids replied, pushing once again on Hinata's shoulder, thankful she reluctantly went forward.

Hinata looked around at the familiar hallways of the facility. Everything was a pristine, polished white, with large windows overlooking the stormy sea outside. Only their footsteps could be heard echoing through the empty corridors. She tried to wrap her mind around everything that was happening, but all she felt was a overwhelming numbness. It didn't seem real, it couldn't be. She glanced over as she saw the same doorway she had gone through on her first visit to the facility. Everything after that point was going to be unfamiliar to her.

She checked over her shoulder, seeing James gloomily walking not far behind her, tears falling down his bruised cheeks. His eyes were glued to the floor as they walked, not even noticing Hinata glancing back at him. Taking in a deep breath, she looked back forward, trying to memorize the path she was being led down. They took multiple turns and rode a large elevator down several levels until they finally slowed to a stop in front of a cell. Thick white bars went from the ceiling to the floor with less than six inches between each one. In the center of the barred wall was a thick metal door that allowed entry into the large cell.

"At last, we've arrived at the Princess suite," Xigbar snidely remarked as he went to the front of the group, patting Hinata's shoulder with his hand as he passed. He smirked as he noticed her immediately tense from his touch. He held up his hand in front of the door, bringing up a blue holographic control board. After completing a keystroke, the door slid open and the board dissipated. "Well?" he looked to the droids at Hinata's side, "Go ahead and toss her in!"

"Roger roger!" The droids replied in unison as they brought Hinata forward and abruptly shoved her into the cell.

She grimaced as she stumbled forward, feeling the electrical surge from her handcuffs spiking through her, but kept herself from making a sound. Taking in a sharp breath, she turned around to see James behind her. Bane entered the cell after them and went up to Hinata. He grabbed the center of her handcuffs, and pulled them up, smirking at the obvious discomfort it caused Hinata.

"These cuffs were designed for a Jedi," Bane spoke up, glancing back at Xigbar and Saix, "They send a bolt of electricity through her body every time she makes a sudden movement. I can allow you to keep them for a price."

Saix scoffed, "We will only pay you for the girl, nothing else."

"Very well," Bane accepted his answer as he tapped a few buttons on a mini control board on his wrist, deactivating the cuffs around Hinata's wrists.

Hinata let out a breath of relief as she saw them fall slack in Bane's hand and immediately retracted her hands, rubbing her wrists. She glared up at him with narrowed eyes, as he simply smirked and tipped his hat to her, before turning and leaving the cell. The door slid closed behind him, leaving Hinata and James trapped.

"I believe that concludes my business with you," Bane spoke evenly to Saix.

"Indeed," Saix agreed, sending a short glance to Hinata through the barred wall, before turning and walking away. "Follow me for your payment."

As they left, the droids followed suit, only leaving Xigbar at the cell wall. He ran his hands along one of the thick metal bars. "I'll let you get used to your new home, while we get everything set up for your testing."

"Testing?" James spoke up, looking over at Hinata as she only stared at Xigbar with a frown. Shaking his head, James walked up to Xigbar, blocking his view of Hinata. "What exactly are you planning on doing to her? Why go through all this trouble?"

"Well if I told ya, that wouldn't be nearly as fun, would it?" Xigbar shrugged with a laugh when he saw James' scowl in response. "Which reminds me, I need to talk with Vexen about what we should do with you. Might turn you into a dusk or something if you don't behave for us."

"A what?" James asked.

"A Nobody…" Hinata finally spoke up, answering him as she glared up at Xigbar, "If you do anything to hurt him-"

"I know, I know, don't worry. I was just kidding- mostly." Xigbar interrupted her with an overly exasperated tone, waving her off. Turning and walking away, he called back to them, "You two be good now! Be back in a bit!"

As he left, James let out a long breath. He ran his hand through his hair as he looked around the room. It was completely white, like the rest of the facility they had seen thus far. A long slab of metal was along the right wall near the bars, sticking out as if it were supposed to serve as a bed. Everything else in the cell was completely smooth, not a single seam of metal or a scratch in the walls.

James frowned at the sight and finally turned to look at Hinata. She stood perfectly still, her glazed eyes focused on the bars that made up the main wall. Her skin was completely bruised and cut up, it was amazing to James that she could even manage to stand on her own with the state she was in.

"Are you alright…?" Hinata asked, her voice barely over a whisper as her eyes darted over to him.

"Me?" James met his confused eyes with hers, before letting out a short breathy laugh, "I should be the one asking you that…"

The corner of her lips tipped into a slight smile, before falling back to a frown. Her gaze went back to the barred wall as she let out a long breath. She blinked as she felt a warm hand grasp her own and looked over to see James standing in front of her. His eyes were solemn and downcast to their intertwined hands. The lump already constricting his throat tightened when he noticed the burn marks around her wrists from the cuffs Bane had bound her with. His mind flashed back to seeing her being repeatedly prodded with the electrical staffs when they were captured. With a sharp breath, he tightly shut his eyes, desperately trying to focus his thoughts on anything else.

"What's going to happen now?" he slowly spoke, his voice quiet. His eyes opened when he felt Hinata squeeze his hand in response.

"I don't know…." she answered honestly while shaking her head. "I have no idea what they want me for…"

James brought his gaze up to her face and stared at her for a moment. Her bruised cheeks were covered with dried tears and her eyes were reddened and swollen as she looked outside of their cell. "We're going to get out of this," he assured her. "Alright?"

"You said that on Bane's ship too," she reminded him, meeting her gaze with his. "Didn't exactly turn out well."

He swallowed hard as he nodded, "I know… But, Ben and Jack got away, they'll find help."

"Let's just hope they get here fast enough…" She replied with a monotone voice, looking away. "Something tells me I don't have a lot of time."

"Don't talk like that," James scolded her, he let go of her hand and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to face him. She met her eyes with his. Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke with a quivering voice. "We are going to be fine, alright? No matter what they do to you, you can't let them break you. We just need to hold out until Ben finds help. We'll make it out of here together, I promise."

Hinata stared back at him, her frown and clouded eyes unchanged by his words. She placed her hand over his on her shoulder as she looked away. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you make it out."

James frowned from her statement, "And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you come with me."

"None of this would have happened if I just stayed at the mansion like I was supposed to…" Hinata abruptly changed the subject, taking in a deep breath before she continued "I've always had this habit of meddling and messing things up. Even back when I was a kid, I always got my friends in trouble or helped them sneak into places they shouldn't have been… It was because of me that my two best childhood friends were forced into the Organization… I just stood by while Riku fell into the darkness and then I forced myself into your and Sam's life-"

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to us," James interrupted her.

Hinata shook her head, tears straining her voice as she asked, "Can you honestly say your life is better because I'm in it?"

"Of course I can," James laughed in disbelief. "Why would you-"

"None of this would be happening to you, if we had never met." She interrupted him, her quiet voice breaking as her throat constricted with emotion. Clearing her throat, she shook her head and blurted out, "Sam would still have her arm, she never would have left you on Montressor. You'd be able to be with any girl you wanted, and you definitely wouldn't have been captured or tortured by some insane bounty hunter..." She paused, struggling to keep herself from breaking down. Taking in a sharp breath, she added with a weak voice, "Your lives would have been better without me in it, and… I am so sorry..."

"Hinata…" James's voice was wrecked with tears as he pulled her into his arms, not caring how the abrupt movement irritated his wounds. "Don't you dare ever think anything like that again. None of this is your fault."

Before Hinata could even respond, the sound of someone clearing their throat shattered the moment. James reluctantly pulled away from Hinata and turned around, making sure to keep her somewhat behind him in a futile attempt to protect her, while keeping her hand in his. Outside their cell stood a slender woman wearing a black Organization cloak. Her bright blonde hair was slicked back, spare for two parts on either side of her head that flared upwards. A mischievous glint was obvious in her narrowed blue eyes as she smirked at them.

"So sorry to interrupt," she spoke up, her voice saturated with sarcasm as she leaned forward and talked down to them, "But I'm afraid I'm here to take our little test subject away."

James shook his head and abruptly stepped forward, "Take me instead."

"James, don't," Hinata whispered, pulling back on his hand, but he didn't budge.

The woman blinked at James for a moment before laughing, "Oh, you're actually serious!" she brought her hand over her heart and rolled her eyes, "How noble of you!" She pointed towards him and sighed, "But the only reason you're even being kept alive, is to keep our toy in check. I mean, you are the reason she's stuck here in the first place, aren't you? No wonder you want to go in her stead."

"That's enough," Hinata pulled James back and walked forward. She narrowed her eyes at the woman and looked her over. "I'm guessing you're Larxene's Replica?"

"Someone's been keeping up on her research," Larxene scoffed.

"Weren't you killed by Sora?" Hinata continued, the smallest hint of a smirk teasing her lips when she saw Larxene scowl. "A bit petty of you to be talking down to us when you were taken down by a kid."

"How dare you!" Larxene bit, clenching her hands at her sides as sparks of electricity fizzed around her gloves.

"Larxene, I told you to bring the subject, not antagonize her," Vexen's annoyed voice came from further down the hall, making Larxene grit her teeth as she stood back up straight and crossed her arms."

"Not my fault they're a pair of whiny brats," she muttered under her breath, stepping aside as Vexen came into view.

His hands were clasped behind his back, hidden by his long oversized lab coat. He peered through the bars, his eyebrows raising as he looked over the prisoners. "Xigbar was surprisingly accurate about Hinata's weakened state." He brought up the holographic control board in front of the cell door and began to meddle with it as he asked. "How are you doing this evening, Hinata?" He glanced up at her, a cruel smirk on his lips.

Hinata took in a deep breath as she averted her eyes from his. She felt James stepping up beside her, his hand tightening around hers.

"Will you be alright?" he whispered to her, noticing Hinata closing her eyes from his words.

"I don't know…" she admitted with a slight quiver in her voice.

Her breath caught as the door to their cell slid open and she opened her eyes to see Vexen and Larxene awaiting her in the hall. Swallowing hard, she glanced up at James, straining a slight smile as she forced her heavy feet forward. James held onto her hand until she was forced to slip it from his grasp, causing his heart to drop as his arm fell back at his side.

The door slid closed behind Hinata, making her slightly jump from the sound. Larxene bit back a snicker as she walked forward, leading the way. Hinata looked after her and then up towards Vexen as he held out his arm.

"Shall we then?" he asked, waiting for her to move.

Taking in a breath, she turned and followed after Larxene, sending a side-glance towards James until he was completely out of view. She scanned their surroundings as they walked through the pristine halls. Even though she didn't fully believe they'd be able to escape, she wanted to remember the way back. Both Larxene and Vexen were eerily silent as they walked, making Hinata only more uncomfortable. She had no idea what awaited her, but she knew it wasn't good.

Larxene stopped in front of metal double doors and turned towards the rest of them, crossing her arms. "Here we are," she smirked at Hinata, reveling in the way Hinata averted her uneasy gaze from hers. "Aw, don't be nervous, you're going to be used for great things! Isn't that right Vexen?"

Vexen simply sent her a frown as he cleared his throat and pressed a large button on the wall to slide open the doors. Hinata's eyes widened as she saw what was inside. An entire wall of computer screens was along the left wall of the narrow room. The bottom screens were covered with code and lines of research that scrolled across the black backgrounds. The rest were camera footage from various rooms around the facility, including the cell where James sat with his back leaned against the bars.

On the other side of the room, near the back was a single white medical chair. It was large in size, with metal cuffs bolted into the hard armrests and head support. Hinata gulped as she looked the chair over, taking notice of the medical tray beside it that was covered with needles and serums she couldn't even begin to decipher.

"Master Vexen," a strange soothing voice caught their attention.

Hinata looked over to see the same alien creature she had encountered on her last visit to Kamino approaching them. It was tall and lanky, each of its limbs were long and slender, covered in a gray-blue skin. Silk robes adorned its body, dragging on the ground behind it as it looked Hinata over with its glassy blue eyes.

"I see we have acquired the subject," the creature continued, coming to a stop in front of Hinata and placing its hand under her chin, taking note of her features. "I assume we can begin the testing?"

"Yes we finally can," Vexen replied with a smile plain in his voice. "I was just about to send for you."

"Hmm," a faint unsettling smile appeared on the creature's thin lips as Hinata moved and lightly smacked its hand away from her face. "This will be interesting. To see the replicative properties of the-"

"A-hem," Vexen quickly interrupted the creature, "We are all looking forward to the results, I'm sure." He looked over to Larxene and nodded towards her.

With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, she grabbed Hinata's arm and pushed her into the room. "Get in the chair," she ordered with a bored voice.

"Why?" Hinata asked, glancing towards the creature speaking with Vexen at the doorway.

Larxene immediately smirked and perked up, "My, my, is that defiance I hear?" She walked over to the wall of computer screens and motioned her hand towards the surveillance video of James, "Because, I'm pretty sure you know what's going to happen to your little loverboy if you want to play that game."

Hinata narrowed her eyes towards Larxene, feeling the itch in her palm to summon a spiral of water despite her weakened condition; but with one glance over to James helpless in the cell, she felt her heart sink. Swallowing hard, she nodded and simply turned around and followed Larxene's orders.

"There you go," Larxene cooed demeaningly, "that's a good little toy."

Hinata clenched her hand at her side, holding back the words she wanted to bite in return. Instead, she looked out the rectangular window that made up the majority of the right side of the room as she went past. The thick glass overlooked a massive white room with thin blue lights creating an engraved grid over the floor, walls, and ceiling. Racks of weapons lined the walls and short half-wall slabs stood up randomly out of the ground. Hinata paused for a moment as she looked the room over from the window, trying to figure out what it could be for. Hearing Larxene clear her throat expectantly, shook her out of her thoughts and she continued to the chair.

She climbed onto the seat, cringing at the cool leather against her heated skin. Leaning back, she reluctantly rested her hands on the armrests, surprised to see the metal cuffs stay in place, rather than clasping around her.

"Those aren't for you," Larxene commented, making Hinata look up at her with confusion.

A set of footsteps approaching caused her to move her gaze as she saw the creature and Vexen entering the room towards her. The door slid closed behind them and let out a loud click, no doubt locking and preventing easy escape. The creature came up to her side and grabbed her left forearm, holding it up as it prodded her skin with its slender fingers.

Hinata watched it, trying to ignore Vexen sorting through the serum filled vials to her right. With a quiet voice, she asked, "Who are you?"

The creature paused, barely a moment, to meet their gaze with hers before going back to her arm. It reached out its hand, allowing Vexen to place a green liquid filled vial in its palm. "I am Cavuk, a Kominoan."

"Why are you helping them?" She asked, noticing Vexen glancing up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"For the discoveries," Cavuk calmly replied, not bothering to look up at her as it inserted the needle into the nook of her elbow, emptying the contents completely.

Hinata winced from the prick of the needle, but then gasped as an inexplicable cooling sensation swarmed through her body. She fell back, her head hitting the chair as her brain seemed to swell and swirl in a daze. Memories and regrets flooded to the forefront of her mind, seeing all the people she had lost and everyone that she loved. Tears filled her eyes as her chest heaved in short uneven spurts.

She could barely hear Vexen and Cavuk bickering amongst themselves about which serum they should have used first. Hinata shut her eyes as her surroundings seemed to congeal together. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out, at least none that she could register.

Cavuk grabbed another vial from Vexen and shoved it into Hinata's arm, instantly making the craziness cease. Hinata opened her eyes with a start, everything around her clear and vivid in a way she had never seen before. All of her pain, her sadness, the tears in her eyes, it all vanished as she took in a deep invigorating breath, feeling on top of the world.

"There we go," Vexen let out a breath of relief. "We should have combined them to begin with."

"Her reaction was… unexpected," Cavuk noted, taking the moment to bring up a hologram from their wrist and record what just occurred. "I do wish we had implanted a brain scanner beforehand so we could see the effects on her mind."

"What did you do to me?" Hinata asked, her voice breathless and shaking as she held her hands in front of her.

"How do you feel?" Vexen asked her.

"Like I want to get out of here," Hinata retorted, suddenly summoning a spiral of water before she was surrounded by a cloud of black mist. She coughed and waved her hands, finding herself inside the massive grid room when the mist had disappeared. With a scowl, she held out her hands and summoned spirals of water. "What do you want with me?!" she yelled, spinning around, trying to see the same window that had been inside the first room, but she couldn't seem to find it.

There was no reply as a black shadow covered the ground in front of her, making her scramble back as dozens of Shadow Heartless appeared out of the darkness. Without hesitation, Hinata thrusted the spirals of water towards the horde, taking out the group in an explosion of smoke, leaving behind a pile of green orbs. She took in a deep breath as the orbs absorbed into her, feeling the slightest hint of a smile from the rush. Somewhere deep in the back of her mind, she could hear the faintest whisper that she was still as injured as before, that whatever had been injected into her bloodstream didn't actually heal a thing. She looked down at her wrists, seeing the bruises and burns that she received only hours before, yet she couldn't feel them. Pressing her fingers into them, not a single itch of discomfort rushed through her.

Chewing the inside of her cheek, she looked back up at the empty room, once again scanning to find where the window to the other room was. "I know you're watching me!" she yelled. "What are you after?"

"Relax!" Axel's voice echoed through the room, making Hinata spin with a gasp. "Just show us what you've got."

"Axel?!" Hinata cried out, her heart fluttering with nerves. "Where are you?"

A cloud of smoke appeared in the center of the room, leaving Axel in its wake. He smirked at Hinata with his hands outstretched at his sides. "I'm afraid I'm just the Replica."

"How many Replicas are there?" Hinata shook her head.

"Hell if I know," Axel sighed in an over-exaggerated fashion as he got down to business, "Look, all we need you to do is fight whatever we throw at you. Show us what you can do."

"Why?" She crossed her arms.

Axel shrugged, "Like I would know. I'm just the errand boy for Vexen these days."

"So then am I supposed to fight you now or something?" she asked, narrowing her eyes as she noticed sparks and glowing embers beginning to float around his hands.

"You got it," Axel smirked as his chakras flashed into his grasp.

"And if I don't?" she challenged.

"Then your little pal in the cell meets a pretty horrible fate," Axel shrugged.

"Fine," Hinata sighed, shifting her weight between her feet. She held her hand in front of her heart for a moment, regulating her breath as Axel waited for her to make the first move. Moisture surrounded her as her tattoo glowed. Given Axel's pause, she knew he didn't fully know of her water powers.

"Are you going to attack or-" Axel began to goad her before a pillar of water sprouted up from the ground underneath his feet, completely encapsulating him. His eyes widened as he tried to summon flames inside the water, only creating an eruption of steam.

With a yell, Hinata lifted him off the ground and threw him across the room, slamming him into the wall and spiking the momentum of the excess water against him before letting him fall to the ground. He sputtered as he scrambled to his feet and threw his chakras towards her, covered with flames. She flipped backwards, completing a backhandspring out of the way before capturing the chakras in an orb of water and throwing it back towards Axel. He caught them midair, pausing to give her a smirk.

"Not bad!" he complimented her, disappearing into a cloud of smoke and reappearing a few feet in front of her. "You've definitely improved since the last time I saw you."

"And when was that exactly, when we were kids?" she asked, summoning orbs of water at her side and hurling them towards him.

As he dodged them with ease, she realized that despite the amounts of magic she was using, she hadn't felt a single dip in her energy. She paused, the sensation of fear trying to itch its way into her heart, yet something was keeping it out. Even with every reason to be scared or in pain, she felt a strange feeling of contentment, even enjoyment out of what was happening.

She cringed at the thought, barely noticing a ball of flames headed towards her. She rolled out of the way, but not before her shoulder was scorched. Coming back up to her feet, she gasped at the sight, but then paused, realizing she wasn't feeling a thing.

"This isn't exactly the time for daydreaming," Axel chuckled, bouncing a ball of flame in his hand.

"What's going on?" Hinata demanded, clenching her hands at her side.

"I already told you, I don't know!" Axel rolled his eyes.

"Then bring me someone who does!" Hinata retorted, shooting a sharp spiral of water at his shoulder, that made him stumble back as it shred through the thick fabric of his coat. A clear bruise was already forming on his skin, yet he didn't react. "They did the same thing to you, didn't they?" She realized, meeting her eyes with his. "Something that makes it so you don't feel pain."

"It fades away eventually," he told her honestly, wincing at the memory.

"UGH!" Larxene's voice echoed around them as a cloud of black smoke appeared to the left of them. As it dissipated, Larxene stood in its place, crossing her arms with an annoyed expression obvious on her face. "You're supposed to fight her, you dummy-not make conversation!"

"Fine, why don't you fight her then?" He placed his hands on his hips. "Careful though, wouldn't want to be taken down by another kid, would you?"

"Shut up," Larxene snapped, throwing a short yellow dagger towards him, which he caught in mid-air.

"Just trying to be considerate," he sighed, dropping the dagger at his feet before he sent Hinata a smile and a short wave. "Best of luck!"

Hinata watched as he disappeared in a Corridor before turning her attention back to Larxene. "Couldn't wait your turn?"

Larxene laughed, summoning eight yellow daggers in her hands, each one held tight between her fingers. Electricity crackled around her as she turned towards Hinata. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

A sudden bolt of lightning covered Larxene, sparking and crackling with bright blues and yellows, causing Hinata to shield her eyes from the intensity. In a flash, it was gone, leaving nothing but blackened burns on the gridded floor. Hinata spun around, catching two sparks of light out of the corner of her eye. Out of them zapped two identical versions of Larxene, both of them plummeting towards her with sharp daggers at the ready. In a rush, Hinata sprouted a pillar of water right under her feet, vaulting herself into the air and rolling as she landed on the other end of the room. With a growl, Larxene reappeared in the center of the room, throwing a set of her daggers straight for Hianta. She dodged them easily, spinning out of the way and noticing the lines of weapon racks along the wall beside her.

Quickly, she scanned over them, grabbing a black crossbow fitted with glowing shards that appeared to hold multiple slots in a round. Aiming it towards Larxene, she fired a single shot, but missed as Larxene teleported away at the last second. Larxene's laugh echoed around the room as Hinata spun in place, her new crossbow at the ready.

"You really think that thing will help you?" Larxene goaded, reappearing in a flash and darting towards Hinata.

The moment Hinata jumped back and readied a shot, Larxene disappeared in a spark of electricity, only to reappear mere inches to the side to repeat the same attack. Hinata jumped back, gauging when Larxene was going to appear again. Holding out her bow, the moment she saw the familiar flash she fired into it, smirking as Larxene fell back with a yelp. Taking the moment, Hinata pelted her with spirals of water before firing the remaining rounds of the bow and tossing it aside once it was empty.

Black wisps of smoke seeped out of Larxene's body as she stumbled back with her hand wrapped around her waist. She breathed heavily while glaring at Hinata through her clouded eyes. "That's it," she growled, outstretching her arms and summoning a bright orb of electricity to envelop her.

Hinata backed up, shielding her eyes from the intensity, but she noticed the wisps of smoke disappear, as if the electricity was somehow healing her. "Shit," she realized, taking the opportunity to run to the weapon racks, yet before she could get there, Larxene had disappeared again.

Her laugh continued to echo around the room as Hinata turned, keeping an eye out for the familiar spark as she made her way over to the weapon racks. A spark caught her attention to her left, making her spin towards it before she noticed another, and another, forming a circle around the entire room.

"Oh no…" Hinata whispered, her eyes widening as each spark turned into a separate Larxene, sparking with electricity as they flew towards her.

In desperation, Hinata summoned the pillar of water under her feet, sending herself across the room to safety, but not before Larxene's electricity made contact with the pillar itself. Hinata watched helplessly as the current spread through the water, covering her body. She fell to the ground hard, seeing the electricity crackling over her body, yet she didn't feel a thing.

"This is bad," she groaned, pushing herself to her knees as she saw Larxene stalking towards her with a smirk plain on her face.

"How much more do you think your little body can take?" she cooed as if talking to a child.

"Is this what you want me for?" Hinata asked, trying to stand, but her legs wouldn't support her weight. Tumbling back to the ground, she pushed herself onto her knees once again, hearing Larxene snickering behind her. "I'm just some stupid experiment for you guys to test your serums on?"

Larxene knelt down in front of her, her daggers still hanging between her fingers. "Hmm, close! But not quite." Making her weapons disappear in one hand, she reached forward and pinched Hinata's cheek, snickering as Hinata pulled away. "You're the only one we could use for this!"

"Why me?" Hinata asked, meeting her tired eyes with Larxene's wild ones. "What's so special about me?"

"Absolutely nothing, if you ask me," Larxene sighed, standing back up as she playfully kicked Hinata's side, making her hiss. She took a few steps away, her back to Hinata, "But fortunately for you, it's not up to me." With a laugh, she brought her hand to her mouth. "Oh, but look at me, blabbing away to some toy! I really have to get out more." Turning around, she leaned forward and motioned her hand towards Hinata. "Don't you worry your pretty little head though, everything will be explained. I mean, that is if you can remember any of it." She laughed again at Hinata's lost expression.

"Remember…?" Hinata repeated, suddenly feeling a slight trickle of pain on her shoulder that crept through the rest of her body. Her breaths began to become ragged as her mind swelled and her eyesight blurred.

"Seems like the serum ran its course," Larxene smirked, watching as Hinata collapsed to the ground with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Make it stop," Hinata sobbed, unable to hear her own voice over the ringing in her ears and the throbbing in her head. Every inch of her body screamed out in pain.

Larxene's smirk only grew as she lifted her hand and crackled electricity around her daggers, "I mean, if you insist."

"Larxene! Don't you dare!" Vexen's voice rang through the room, "We need her alive!"

Hinata watched through glazed eyes as Vexen appeared in the room and rushed over to her. She saw his lips moving, as if he were trying to speak to her, but everything was silent. Her eyelids felt heavy, unable to stay open as her vision tunneled and her body fell limp.

The sensation of cold hard metal against her back made her squirm uncomfortably as her mind slowly regained consciousness. The sting of pain trickled through her body, making it difficult to move, so she remained as still as possible while keeping her eyes closed, still heavy from exhaustion and strain. Her mind was clouded, struggling to piece together her thoughts as her head throbbed with a migraine. She flinched as she felt a warm, soft hand push back her hair behind her ear.

"Hey," James' soft voice broke through her shrouded thoughts. "I'm glad you're finally waking up."

Hinata leaned into his touch with a relieved sigh when she realized it was James and fluttered her eyes open. It took a moment for her blurred vision to clear, to see James smiling down at her uneasily. She lay on the long metal slab in their shared cell, her head on his lap. Struggling to raise her head, she looked over her body, seeing that she was in a thin black tank top and cotton shorts. Tight white bandages were wrapped around her arms and covered her shoulder that had been burned by Axel's flames.

Unable to support her own head's weight, she leaned back onto James' lap and closed her eyes once more. "At least they patched me up a bit…" she mumbled, her words slurring together as even speaking felt like a chore.

"What did they do to you?" James asked her, his voice quiet as he looked her over. "They dragged you back in here unconscious… Then left without saying anything."

She shook her head, not daring to even allow her thoughts to wander back to what had just happened. "I…" She began, closing her mouth and swallowing hard. "I'd rather not talk about it."

His hand wrapped around hers, giving her a tight squeeze that made her wince. "Sorry," he quickly apologized, releasing her hand as he realized he had hurt her. Taking in a long breath, he stammered words out, "I-is there anything I can do?"

Shaking her head once more, she told him, "Just… keep me company."

He scoffed, "Not like that's going to do much good..." Leaning his head back against the wall, he stared outside their cell with a solemn look in his eyes. He tried to find the right words to say to her, to keep her spirits lifted, but he couldn't even keep up his own.

"James…" Hinata squeaked, her voice barely audible.

"Hmm?" He hummed in return.

"Can you… tell me a story?" she asked, looking up at him through a half-lidded gaze.

James met his eyes with hers, a slight frown on his lips, "Right now?" he asked with a bit of hesitation in his voice. "How's that going to help anything?"

"I just," she averted her gaze from his, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "I need something… anything, to distract me right now."

His frown deepened, his heart lurching at seeing the state she was in. Leaning his head back against the wall, he sighed. "Alright then, what type of story do you want?"

"Maybe... " her voice trailed off as she closed her eyes again and thought. "A story about growing up on Montressor?"

A breathy laugh escaped him. "I have quite a few of those. But uh… there's one about me and my dad that I think you might like." He noticed the slightest hint of a smile perk at the corner of her lips, making his frown melt away as he began. "Let's see… I couldn't have been more than eight years old. I had just gotten grounded for hitting another kid at school."

"Why did you hit another kid?" Hinata interrupted.

"I don't even remember anymore. They were probably making fun of Sam or something." he sighed before continuing, "But anyways, my mom was ticked at me about it. Always saying that violence was never the answer. She made me do all the chores around the shop and wouldn't let me go out with my friends. You know, the worst possible thing you could do to an eight year old kid. So… one night I was fed up with it and decided that I was going to run away."

"You're kidding," she scoffed, wincing as the action sent a pulse of discomfort through her.

"Nope," he sighed wistfully, not noticing her wince of pain. "My dad would sometimes take me up to the top of this hill where we could watch ships coming and going from these massive docks, most of the ships were set for other planets to deliver goods. So I packed myself a small bag, snuck out after I thought everyone else had gone to bed, and made my way to those docks to stow away on a ship."

"At eight years old?" Hinata spoke up, her voice almost disbelieving.

"Yeah, I know," he laughed, pausing for a moment to glance down at her.

His smile vanished when he was met by her weary, reddened eyes staring languidly back at him, suddenly reminding him of their current predicament. Hinata gazed back up at him as his eyes trailed over her body, taking note of each and every injury she had received that day alone. The faint glow in his eyes that had appeared as he recalled his fond memories quickly faded back to nothing but a dim hopelessness. Hinata couldn't help but feel the same way. Her body still in too much pain to bring herself to move more than an inch at a time. It took everything to not focus on the agony inside her body and even more struggle to keep the ever rising fears in the back of her mind at bay. The fears that the testing was far from over or that Ben wouldn't be able to find help in time to save James from the clutches of the Organization.

Swallowing hard, Hinata spoke up, her voice cracking, "So-um… Did you get on a ship?"

"Huh?" James brought his eyes back to hers, before he realized what she was referring to. He tried to strain a smile as he got back to the story. "Oh, uh, yeah, actually. I was lucky enough to find a massive freighter being loaded with goods to take to Kinapis, and its entrance was wide open for me to easily sneak aboard."

Hinata shut her eyes, struggling to keep them open any longer. With a soft voice, she asked. "So, what happened next?"

James sighed, "I snuck on and hid in the hold of the ship where all the inventory was and hid behind a few wooden barrels out of view. I slid to the ground, thinking I was finally escaping my prison." he chuckled softly at his own words before his voice trailed off and he absently stared at the opposite wall. "But after a few minutes I suddenly heard a set of footsteps approaching me. It was too dark to really see much, so I just tried staying as still and quiet as possible. I held my breath as a figure appeared and slid to the ground beside me. The moment their shoulder touched mine, I knew who it was- my dad."

He glanced down at Hinata, seeing a smile spreading on her lips, causing a smile to appear on his own. Taking in a breath, he continued, "We just sat there in complete silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then as the ship took off from the dock, he just nudged my shoulder and asked: So, where we headed?"

Hinata had opened her eyes once again, seeing the glow returned to his eyes as he recalled the memory. "That's amazing…" she whispered. "So, he went to Kinapis with you?"

"Yeah," he breathily laughed, "We spent the entire day there. And he eventually talked to me about how I need to behave and all that dad stuff, but that day was one of my best memories with him."

Hinata's smile grew, all of her pain fading away for a single moment as she felt the familiar swell in her heart. "Thank you for telling me about that."

"Of course," he smiled back at her, "I hope it helped a little bit at least."

"More than you might think," she admitted, slowly raising her hand to her forehead. "Makes me excited to meet him."

"So you do think you'll make it out of here," he pointed out with a smirk.

"Not really," she confessed, her smile slightly fading as she added, "But that gives me hope, at least."

Vexen clearing his throat caught their attention and all of the comfort Hinata had mustered together immediately vanished as every muscle in her body tensed and twanged with horrid anticipation. With a shaking breath, she looked over to the bars of their cell with James, seeing Vexen standing at the entrance with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Haven't you wrecked her enough already?" James bit before Vexen could say a single word. "You're not getting her back yet."

"I assure you, we know exactly what we're doing," Vexen replied simply, sliding open the cell door.

James clenched his hands at his side, anger snipping at the back of his throat as he opened his mouth to snap back.

"James..." Hinata grated out his name, pushing herself to sit up despite the cry of pain that leaked from her lips. "Don't…" she added with a weak trembling whisper. She pushed herself to stand, her legs shaking under her weight and causing her to stumble into the wall.

James was quickly up at her side, helping support her. "I'm going to lose you at this rate," he whispered to her.

"As long as you make it out…" she reminded him, tears escaping down her cheeks from the spasms of pain that tormented her from every movement. "That's all that matters…"

James fell silent, a lump constricting his throat as he desperately tried to figure out what he could possibly do to help her. He helped her walk to the cell entrance, before Vexen took her away, slamming the door shut behind him and leaving James to watch helplessly from the confines of his prison.

….

Sam leaned back in the leather seat in the cockpit of the ship, watching the streaks of stars as they wisped past the windshield. A warm hand on her shoulder caused her to glance up, seeing Jim standing beside her, a sad smile on his worn face. Without replying, Sam placed her hand over his and gave it a light squeeze as she let out a long breath.

"We'll find him," Jim assured her, his voice soft and quiet. "Shouldn't be too much longer till we're there."

"If he's still there," Sam stood from her seat. "No telling what those creeps want with him." Leaning forward, she worked the control board before suddenly slamming her fist against the edge of it. "Why the hell can't this thing go any faster?"

"Calm down," Riku scolded her with an exasperated breath escaping him as he entered the cockpit. He lifted his arms and grasped the top of the doorway. "Hitting it won't help anything."

Sam scoffed, "Why exactly are you tagging along again?"

"Because DiZ wants me to," Riku reminded her, seemingly as unenthused as her.

"We'll want Riku's combat expertise once we arrive," Amelia pointed out as she sat calmly a bit farther back from the group at the navigation station. "I doubt those Organization fellows will give up James lightly. Not after all the trouble they went through to capture him."

"It just doesn't make sense," Jim crossed his arms. "What could James possibly have that the Organization wants?"

"Who cares!?" Sam snapped, ruffling her hand through her hair. "All I know is that I want to take the bastards responsible down."

"Sam," Amelia immediately replied, "There's-"

"I know, I know," Sam interjected with a slight groan. "No reason to get riled up."

"No, actually," Amelia poked her head out from the side of the navigation screen, her ears flattened on her head. "There's a nav point for the Highwind approaching, but it's not at the planet Kamino."

"What?" Jim asked, as Sam's eyes widened. He went to the control board and immediately slowed down the ship, switching off the FTL Drive.

In a flash, the ship came out of hyperspace. The thin white lines transformed into thousands of sparkling stars and amongst them, the Highwind floated lifelessly through space. Sam gasped at the sight, grabbing the controls and flying their ship towards the Highwind to get a better look. Debris was scattered around the ship and holes were blasted out of the sides. The mast was barely secured, appearing as if it could topple over any moment into the blemished deck, which was missing entire sections.

Sam shook her head as everyone came up beside her, rendered speechless at the sight. Tears filled her eyes as she whispered, "It's completely dead… It'll be a miracle if the artificial gravity is still intact, let alone the life support… What if-"

She looked away as Riku placed his hand on her shoulder. "There's no guarantee that James in on the ship. They might have left the ship behind after they captured him."

"There's one way to find out," Amelia spoke up, straightening her coat as she turned around and went back to the navigation. "Pull us beside the Highwind and dock it against our ship. I'll go aboard and see if there are any survivors."

"I'll go, too," Sam slowly nodded, tearing her eyes away from the windshield to begin getting ready.

Jim took the controls and carefully aligned the ships as Sam and Amelia prepared to board. They pulled on maroon bodysuits that covered their bodies completely from the neck down before attaching diamond shaped silver devices to the back of the necks. Activating the devices, a thick jelly like barrier covered their heads, sending regular intervals of air into the two inches of space between their mouths and the helmet.

"You're all set," Jim called back just as the girls headed to the docking area.

Riku walked out of the cockpit towards the round double doors that would lead over to the Highwind. He stopped in front of Sam and asked, "Do you want me to go, too?"

She shook her head, "No, it's fine. We'll be quick; if no one's onboard we'll need to keep heading to Kamino."

"Alright," he agreed, stepping back as they opened the docking bay doors.

Standing at the doorway leading out into space, Sam felt a pang of nervousness flow through her. She looked at the Highwind right in front of her-it was just a step away, yet broken and shattered. She could barely remember what it looked like the day she had finished building it. All of that was gone, never to be the same. Amelia placed her hand on Sam's shoulder, getting her attention. Sam nodded towards her, snapping out of her thoughts as she left the ship and stepped onto the Highwind.

Just from stepping aboard, she could tell that the artificial gravity was still intact, yet the life support system was still in question. She and Amelia walked slowly, making sure to step where the deck was strongest, as to not risk it snapping underneath them. Sam went up to the navigation, barely able to get there because of a massive hole blown into the deck. Pressing a few buttons on the control board, the screens flickered to life, dimly enough that Sam had trouble deciphering what was on them.

"Found anything?" Amelia asked, standing guard as she continued to look around.

"I'm… not sure," Sam answered honestly. "Montressor was the Nav Point," she relayed the information she noticed on the navigation before noticing the communication list. "Wait… It says the last two calls were to me and Riku… And they were made within the last few hours…"

"Did James contact you before he was attacked?" Amelia came up beside her, also looking at the screens.

"I don't remember any call," Sam replied, "but it says the call lasted over a minute… So someone answered it. It doesn't make any-"

"Sam! Amelia!" Ben's excited voice startled both of them as Amelia instinctively pulled out a plasma gun and aimed it straight at Ben when he popped up onto the deck. Ben froze and put up his hands, his yellow eyes immediately flashing to blue. "H-hey! It's me, Ben."

"Ben," Amelia sighed in relief, holstering her gun as she carefully walked over to him. "So there is someone still on the ship."

"Sure is! Jack and I have been trying to get to you guys," Ben told her, darting his eyes over to Sam as she made her way over.

"Is James with you?" she asked him, a slight hopeful tone in her voice. "Please tell me he's in one of the spacesuits or something."

"Oh, um, not exactly," Ben scratched the back of his neck as he averted his eyes. "You see…. Hinata tried to make sure James stayed on the ship while she distracted Bane but, uh, he didn't listen."

"What do you mean, he didn't listen?" Sam demanded, grabbing Ben's arm. "Are you telling me you left without him?!"

"Hinata ordered us to get help, and-" Ben tried to explain.

"Dammit!" Sam shoved Ben back and stormed down the steps, not caring as Amelia called after her to be careful.

As she went below deck, she saw Jack float up through the floor, his ears flat on his head and tail down as he came up to Sam. She shortly patted his head as she stormed past him, going down to the drive core below. Her breath caught as she saw the core completely shattered, but on the floor amongst the broken glass was another contraption she had never seen before.

She stepped onto the glass, hearing it crack under her feet as she went up to the machine. Whatever it was, it was no longer functioning as sparks flew from its sides and blackened burn marks were along the seems that connected it to the ship.

"What is this?" She asked, glancing up as she saw Ben and Amelia coming down the stairs.

"Oh, that was one of the Drives we stole from one of Bane's ships. It was Hinata's idea," Ben explained as he came up beside it and patted it with a sigh. "I've never seen anything like it and tried my best to integrate it into the Highwind. It was able to get us away at least, but it blew out before we could get to you."

"Which I would imagine is why the ship's systems are down," Amelia surmised, getting a nod in response.

"Why didn't you bring James with you?" Sam asked, crossing her arms. "Why would you leave him behind? And don't give me that crap that it was that girl's idea."

"That girl?" Ben repeated her words, his eyes turning green as he blinked in confusion. "You mean… Hinata?"

Sam rolled her eyes, grabbing Ben's arm. "Come on, we're getting you back to the ship. You can explain yourself on the way to Kamino."

"What of the Highwind?" Amelia asked as she followed Sam back up to the deck.

"Leave it," Sam bit.

"W-wait!" Ben pleaded, pulling out of Sam's grasp. "A lot of important things are still on the ship! And it can still fly! It just needs some repairs."

"We'll take it with then," Amelia assured him. "We can keep it connected to us as we get to Kamino."

"Fine," Sam shook her head, opening the docking bay doors to get back onto the ship.

Ben looked up at the massive ship Sam had arrived in. It was twice the size of the Highwind and completely black in appearance. He stepped inside with Jack floating at his side, both of them solemn as they glanced at each other.

"Ben," Jim's voice caught Ben's attention as he turned and ran towards him, giving him a big hug.

"Oh, Jimmy, it's great to see you," Ben sighed, hugging his best friend as Jim patted his back. "I do wish it was under better circumstances though." He pulled away and noticed Riku. "Oh, it's great to see you here, too, Riku. Hinata's been holding up as best she can, but we need to get moving quick!"

"Get the ship back in hyperdrive," Sam ordered, looking between Jim and Amelia, ignoring Ben's words. As they nodded and left for the cockpit, Sam looked up to Riku and told him, "Ben here abandoned James and escaped with the Highwind."

"What? T-that's not exactly what happened!" Ben objected with a jump. "There was a lot more to it than that!"

"Then what happened?" Riku asked, his voice level rising.

"Hinata got us out of the cell and we all worked together to make it to the hangar bay on Bane's ship," Ben explained, his metal fingers fidgeting in front of him. "But Bane was expecting us to do that… so when we got to the hangar bay, there was a whole army there waiting for us! Hinata got us all to the ship and ordered me and James to get a drive from one of the other ships in the hangar and integrate it into the Highwind, while she distracted the others. Then she said that the moment it was finished, we needed to get out of there to find help. But right around when it was going to be finished… James ran out to save Hinata, and then-"

"You finished and you left," Riku finished for him, getting a nod in response.

"Why were you even listening to Hinata's plan anyways?" Sam asked in frustration. "You should have waited until James was back."

"B-but I couldn't!" Ben explained. "He and Hinata got captured and we had finished the ship, so she yelled at us to go…" He rubbed the back of his neck before he added, "And Hinata has great ideas. She's the one that saved us, afterall…"

Sam shook her head and looked up towards Riku, "So, I guess we're back to square one. We're off to Kamino again."

"We'll get James back," Riku assured her. "At least we know he's not alone."

"Yeah, with some crazy, controlling lady who thinks she's some badass," Sam rolled her eyes.

Ben looked between them, his eyes tinted blue as he asked. "Why are you guys talking about Hinata like that? She's your best friend..."

Riku and Sam stopped and darted their gazes to Ben, both with frowns obvious on their faces as they asked in unison, "Who?"

END

(This was originally posted on my fanfiction.net account)

Author's Final Note: Thank you to everyone for reading this entire book. Over two years in the making, it's finally reached the ending. The ending I planned from the very beginning and often thought I'd never make it to. But here we are at the end of it all.

Before I get into reminiscing and all of the many thanks I have to give out, I want to first let everyone know, I will be posting the first chapter to the following book, The Forgotten Traveller, as a "chapter" for Third Beginning as well as starting a new whole story on . In case you are not interested in going through a whole other book with me (which I get), the first chapter for The Forgotten Traveller will be answering a whole lot of things, and will give you at least some closure for the mysteries in Third Beginning. And it will give you a good taste for the next book without having to go and find the new story whenever I post it. So be on the lookout for that! After the holidays, I'm hoping to hit the ground running, and get a head start and getting the first chapter out.

This next book is going to be even bigger than Third Beginning, there's new worlds planned, some re-visits, and lots and lots of surprises. The Forgotten Traveler will be the third book in this planned trilogy, meaning it's planned to be the last book. I don't have anything in mind for Dream Drop Distance and KH3, mostly because I don't know what to expect for KH3. Does that mean I won't eventually write a book that will cover them? Not necessarily, but it will be outside of this trilogy arch. So every mystery and side story arch that has come up in the last two books will be closed and brought to resolution in The Forgotten Traveler. I am beyond excited to get started on this last book in the series and really hope I have a few of you that will remain with me on this long ride.

And now we get to the part where I reminisce and get all sappy. When I first started this journey of writing Third Beginning, I often thought I would never make it to the end. There were many times I considered quitting and never writing again. And then there were days where I would write entire chapters, only to completely throw them out and start from scratch.

My biggest supporter through all of this has been my amazing husband. You guys know him through his guest chapters and a couple guest fight scenes. He has such a big heart and to tell all of you a secret, he had never played a single Kingdom Hearts game before he married me. When I started True Friends right after we had our son, he had little to no idea what I was really writing about. But then, slowly but surely, he began researching Kingdom Hearts, striking up conversations about it with me and asking me to explain things and theories about the entire series. He's as well read about the series and all the ins and outs of every detail at this point than any other Kingdom Hearts fan I've ever met. And yes, I have gotten him to play the games now, three years later and I have created a Kingdom Hearts fan, yes! BUT anyways, my point, is that he went above and beyond to support me in this. And I will forever be eternally grateful for that.

Another big supporter in this, is my wonderful editor and best friend, Jackie. The two of us met just over a year ago. I was on my longest hiatus from Third Beginning, seriously considering quitting for good and never going back. But then I got a message on DeviantArt. A message from someone that created an account on there, solely for the reason to get in contact with me. She told me how much she adored my stories and how much they meant to her and got her through the trying semesters at college. It lit a fire in my heart. A fire that I was convinced had gone out. I replied to her, not knowing where it would lead. A year later, she's the most amazing friend I could ever ask for. And her being my editor is such an amazing blessing. She has taught me so much, and not just about writing, but about myself; giving me confidence to be myself and try new things in way I will always be thankful for. Thank you Jackie for always being there for me and for reigniting my love for writing.

I could go on and on forever about all of my amazing supporters. I have so many of you here on . So many of you who have sent me encouraging messages and reminders of how much you really do enjoy my stories. And thank you. I love each and every one of them and I adore each and every one of you. A couple that I WILL call out though, are SpiritofWriting and QueenMicky. Both of you have been with me since the beginning of the original True Friends and have been such treasures. Spirit, we have become great friends! Often exchanging art and bouncing ideas off of each other for our stories and characters. Thank you for being here for me and for your support. And to Queen, you comment on every chapter without fail and I look forward to your thoughts every single time I post. I know we don't talk much, but I really hope you know just how much I appreciate you and I am so happy that we met!

And last callout, I promise, is to DonutSeed on DeviantArt, or as I also know her, Samantha. That's right, Donut is the reason Sam exists. I don't know if you guys remember, but shortly after I finished writing True Friends, I did an Ask My OC event on my DeviantArt, where people could have conversations with Hinata. I had everything planned for Third Beginning at that time and it's odd to say, but Sam and James weren't a part of it at the time. But DonutSeed…. Oh DonutSeed, she had long and great conversations with Hinata. She asked great questions and provided literal advice and encouragement to Hinata, that actually helped her through a ton of things. It was such a fun experience and as I saw the way that Donut was effecting Hinata through her tone and words I realized that I needed a character like her to be in my story. Thus, Sam was born. Never realized how integral Sam would become to the entire dynamic of the series. Once I created her, I had to go through the entire Third Beginning outline and work her in. And even with that, she still blossomed into a larger and greater character than I ever intended.

In fact, every character has blossomed in more ways than I ever imagined. I learned through this story that it's alright to give characters the reigns every once and awhile. That sometimes the story or response they have in mind is a lot more interesting than the one I had initially planned. And I love it. It's something I hope to continue and learn in the next book.

All of that said, I feel that I need to say a little bit about Hinata. She has definitely been put through the wringer more than once. But she's strong. She's going to get through this and she is going to walk tall. This book really was a low point for her, but that doesn't define her. I am so ready for her to be able to shine and be the character she was always meant to be. She's helped me grow in many ways and she will always be dear to my heart, long after I am done with this series.

Thank you again to every single person that has read this story from beginning to end. Whether or not you've ever commented, just your support of reading means the world to me. As I type the end of this final Author's Note for Third Beginning, I'm overwhelmed with the memories of the journey it took to get here. I'll never forget this moment or the people I've met along the way. Thank you. ***

**Author's Note:**

> You can read "True Friends" on this site (only the rewrite, which is only about half way through), or the original on Fanfiction.net. My name there is, CurryFury13.


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